Golden Sun: The New Beginning
by lilgirl
Summary: IMPORTANT NOTICE! PLEASE READ! Three months after Lost Age. A new evil threatens to destroy Weyard with the power of Alchemy. Among the confusion a war brakes out between the kingdoms. I promise its more interesting than it sounds.
1. Chapter I: Travelers

Authors/Note: This is three months after The Lost age. For those of you who do not know who Picard is, wherever you see the name Picard I mean Piers. Picard is the name used in the Japanese version of Golden Sun2.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Golden Sun or any of the characters  
  
Golden Sun: The New Beginning  
  
Chapter I: Travelers  
  
"Good Morning!" Jenna happily waved to a man up on a roof, thatching it, as she passed by. She had just gotten the things she needed from the Plaza and was on her way up to Isaac's house for a visit before she headed back home.  
  
When Vale and Mt. Aleph had sunken under the ground never to be seen again, everybody in Vale sought refuge in Vault until they could get things organized. Kalay and Tolbi, grateful for the help Isaac had lent them, paid the expenses on lumber, hay, and any other material needed to rebuild Vale.  
  
It wasn't all completed, but many of the houses had been rebuilt on ledges just like before. With the help of Felix and Isaac's psynergy, the two young adepts had carved out an exact replica of the old Vale cliff sides there in the mountains where Mt. Aleph used to be. After Mia and Picard found the old water source from the stream, that no longer existed, Isaac dug a trench with his powers that went through the new Vale in the same way it had before. They then joined the ditch to the water source. Everybody in Vale wanted to start anew, but they also wanted their old village back.  
  
Jenna smiled as she continued to stroll through her new home. Mia had used growth on trees that had been planted so they would be big and tall for lots of shade. Kraden had lots of help rebuilding his new home that had a downstairs dedicated to his studies. It was in a spot that looked like the place his old home used to be, and had just as many trees for shade. The grass was doing rather well, thanks to Picard and his growth ability along with Ivan and Sheba causing rainstorms for a water source, and was lush and already needed trimming.  
  
Jenna stopped and sighed as she looked north of Vale. She used to be able to see Mt. Aleph and Sol Sanctum, but now all she saw was large mountain ranges. It was hard getting used to, but now they no longer had to worry about protecting it and could live happily knowing that all of Weyard was safe from destruction. And she was so happy that her family was back, Felix, her mother and father. She loved them all dearly and never wanted to let go of them again.  
  
Reaching the house, Jenna knocked twice and waited patiently at the door for one of the three owners to answer it. She smiled and was greeted warmly by the head of the family himself.  
  
"Jenna! Please, come in," Kyle invited, stepping to the side. "What brings you here? I thought you'd be with your family."  
  
Jenna gladly accepted and entered the home. It had been one of the first houses rebuilt, though Isaac and his family wished it to be one of the last. The village had insisted and Isaac, Garet, and Felix's family's houses be the first three built, and only said that they deserved it when asked why.  
  
"I only wanted to visit for a while," Jenna replied. "You know, stop by and see how things were."  
  
"That's very kind of you," Kyle said.  
  
Mia looked up from her seat at the table and smiled. She and Ivan were staying with Isaac's family since the inn was nowhere near completion. As for Sheba and Picard, they had been invited to stay in Felix's humble home.  
  
"Hello, Jenna," Mia greeted. "How are you?"  
  
"I'm fine," Jenna paused and watched as she wrote something on letter paper. "And you? Listen, I'm really sorry about.."  
  
Mia shook her head. "No, don't be," she said. She looked up and smiled. "It was meant to be. Besides, I could have never forgiven him and had the relationship I used to with him. He changed too much."  
  
Jenna smiled sympathetically. She new what it was like to think you'd lost someone. And in Mia's case, she had lost an old friend: Alex.  
  
Mia had talked a little the first few weeks after the adventure had ended about how she worried just a little about Alex's whereabouts. When the Wise One told her that he was dead, she couldn't help but pity him. She talked of how he had been misled by greed and temptation of power. She had been very close to him as friends before he changed, and it was painful for her to see him be corrupted so and then killed. She couldn't help but feel that he deserved it. He had caused so much trouble, and used everyone for his own wants and desires. His heart had turned to pure evil.  
  
Jenna smiled. Mia was so strong. They all knew it grieved her for having lost someone that she had grown up with to greed, but yet she acted as though it were only a miner thing. She was so angry with him when she heard his true reason for lighting the lighthouses and said she'd never forgive him for it. And she hadn't. She said it every day someone brought the man up, which wasn't often since most the people in Vale who had known him enough didn't like him a lot. But they all offered their support for the blue haired adept.  
  
Jenna crossed the room and peered over Mia's shoulder. From the looks of it, and the greeting, she was writing a letter to her grandparents in Imil. She smiled and moved away to give the other young lady her privacy.  
  
"Why, hello there, Jenna," Dora greeted as she entered the house. Behind her was Isaac caring a large bucket of water, apparently for the use of cleaning.  
  
"Good Morning, Ma'am," Jenna replied.  
  
"We've talked about this before," Dora teasingly scolded. "You're to call me Dora."  
  
Jenna smiled. "Yes, I'm sorry," she said. "Can I help you with anything?"  
  
"For pity's sake, no!" Dora replied. "I feel bad enough not being able to help everyone else rebuild Vale without burdening someone else with my chores! If I could, I'd clean someone else's home up, but I have to get my own in leaving condition for my family."  
  
Jenna smiled. "It is hard, getting the houses in shape," she said. "But if there's anything I can do, you just ask. I'd be glad to help when my chores are done." Jenna gasped and picked her shopping basket up. "I hate to run, but speaking of which, I haven't done a single chore! Mom's weighed down with enough as it is. Please excuse me."  
  
Isaac turned from setting the bucket of water down in time to catch her. "Wait! I'll come with you," he said.  
  
Jenna smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Isaac. I'd be happy to walk with you."  
  
Kyle went to the door with them and held it open as they left. "I'll see you two later," he said.  
  
Isaac let Jenna set the pace and then matched it as he walked along beside her. They decided to go the longest way they could so they could have a chance to talk. They hadn't done much accept nod as they passed one another in a week, they had been so busy.  
  
"It's been hectic lately, I haven't had a chance to speak with your family. How are they doing?" Isaac asked.  
  
Jenna shrugged. "Fine, I guess. Dad's been working outside trying to build a dock on our home. It's next to the river like it was three years ago, but you know that," she replied. She looked at the ground as she thought. "Felix helps him when he's not off helping workers build the Inn or someone's house.  
  
"Mom and Grandma are busy inside, sweeping, decorating, washing the walls and floors, and anything else. I help with whatever I can. My aunt helps too, though she works with the shop owners more. Granpa can't do much though."  
  
Isaac nodded. "That's nice," he said.  
  
"And how's your mother? I mean she has so much to do inside and no one to help her. It must be hard on her," Jenna asked.  
  
Isaac shrugged. "She's hard working. She doesn't mind the chores. I help with lifting heavy objects and moving things in her way, that is when I'm not out helping Dad with the construction work," he replied.  
  
"What is it the two of you work on?" Jenna asked.  
  
"Garet and I help with the sanctum and a few houses down in the Plaza. When I help Dad though, we mainly focus on the houses along the way to the Plaza," Isaac replied.  
  
Isaac looked over at the young fire adept and smiled. "You must really be glad your parents are back," he said. "You were so sad when you thought they were dead. You changed."  
  
Jenna nodded. "Was I really that sad? I didn't realize it showed so much," she said. "But to answer you, yes, I'm very happy that they're back. And I'm glad Felix is here, too."  
  
Isaac smiled thoughtfully as he thought about what had happened three years ago. It all made so much since that they all were alive now. It was strange to think that only Felix survived since both his dad and Jenna's father were earth adepts.  
  
"You must love having your father around again," Jenna said softly. "You do so much with him. Every time I turn around you're with him, almost."  
  
Isaac smiled. "Yeah, I'm glad he's back," he said. "I feel like we lost so much time together though. Three years were taken away from us that he could have been doing something for Vale, or his family."  
  
Jenna smiled sympathetically. "You did lose time with him, Isaac, we both lost time with our fathers."  
  
"So, anyway," Isaac said, changing the subject. It still hurt a little to think that three very precious years had been lost with his father. "It's hard to believe it's all over, huh?"  
  
"Yup, it sure is," Jenna said. "Felix has grown up, mentally, so much. He's caring and helps when he can. Though he's still a little mad at Babi for stilling from the Lumerians even though he's dead."  
  
"Oh, yeah, that," Isaac said. "Does it bother Picard any?"  
  
Jenna shook her head. "No, not a bit. He's so quick to forgive people. I wish I could be that way," she replied.  
  
"I still can't believe Babi lied to us. He seemed so nice, and kind. He didn't seem like the kind of guy to steal anything," Isaac commented.  
  
"People can be deceiving," Jenna said. "He also took advantage of your good nature, and your willingness to help others in need out. That was dirty."  
  
Isaac smiled. "It's in the past. Don't dwell on it. I've forgiven him," he said. "Besides, he's dead, what can we do?"  
  
Jenna nodded. She looked up and smiled. "We're at my house, Isaac," she said.  
  
Isaac looked up as well. "Oh, so we are," he said.  
  
Jenna sighed. "I better go help Mom out. Thank you for walking me home. You didn't have to you know," she said.  
  
"I know, I wanted to though," Isaac replied. "Maybe I'll have time to see you and Felix sometime later."  
  
"Maybe so," Jenna said. She waved. "Bye, Isaac."  
  
"Bye!" Isaac said as he darted off up the stairs.  
  
Jenna smiled as she went inside. She often wondered if her small crush she had on him was still around. She also wondered if he liked her in a way since he'd worried about her so when she left Venus lighthouse. It didn't matter though. Her love for Garet, that she never showed, was greater, and she believed that Isaac's heart belonged to a certain blue haired water adept who was staying in his very own home.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
"If only I had the power of Alchemy, nothing could stop me! I'd be powerful, but how, how shall I obtain it? Is it impossible after the lighthouses are lit, or is it just harder? I must have this power; I must own it and have it for myself! How can I get it? He keeps an eye on me. He doesn't trust me. He won't let me out of his sight. What can I do to get away from this place, this town? What is it called again? I only came here for the knowledge that the other scholars have. But they speak of another, greater scholar who has succeeded in his task. What is his name? Ah yes, Kraden! I must find him. I must get to him and make him tell me his knowledge of Alchemy.  
  
"How long I have waited for this power to be awakened! Ever since I can remember I've wanted it, and I shall have it! I will have it. I must have it. If this, this old man, Kraden, if he knows what I lack than I will kill to get to him. I must find him. But the other scholars, they won't say were he went. He has warned them of me, and told them he doesn't trust me. If he doesn't trust me than no one in this reached town will. Maybe I was too hasty. I acted too quickly when I asked about Alchemy. It was too obvious. All of Weyard has bound to have been warned that someone might want the power. But they couldn't possibly tell I was coming. Unless.  
  
"This Hamma woman. She can predict the future. Yes, I've heard of her. She's done it too. There are others like her; I shall hope that they haven't found their ability to see the future. I shall also hope that she will not contact them if she sees what I want. I might have to dispose of her somehow. But how?"  
  
The man frowned to himself as he sat in the darkness of his chamber. He whispered to himself his plans, and thought them more than he did speak them. He dared not speak them loudly for fear of his suspicions being proved. If someone were to hear him, how would he have anyone's trust? How then would he get what he wanted?  
  
He hissed to himself disgusted. There were far to many people who could stop him if warned of his intentions. He had to get ride of the one who was the most threat to him at the moment. He had to get ride of her. He had to get ride of this Master Hamma before she ratted on him. He had to get to her before she saw what he planned to do or just as she saw it. He had to get to her now. But how? He was being watched.  
  
The man smiled as it all fell into place perfectly before him. He had the perfect plan that not even he could spoil. It couldn't fail. Even the dumbest of scholars could put it into action. Now all he needed was a letter. That's all. A simple piece of paper with words inked onto it. Then he'd be one step closer to his heart's desire.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Mt. Aleph continued to sink in the ground. The blue haired man from Imil lay paralyzed unable to flee. He frowned as his mind raced to figure out a way to get down, to get away before the ground ate him. He had a way, but he needed to move. Maybe he didn't need to move to do it. Maybe he didn't need to move to use his psynergy.  
  
The mountain along with the small village at its base was being sucked down into the earth's crust never to be seen again. Alex laid, limply, on the top of Aleph, however he was smiling now. Dust clouds bellowed up in large puffs of choking dirt and blew upwards toward the once clear blue sky. It was very hard to see the top of the mountain as it was almost completely submerged under the ground. A small flash and then a glimmer occurred just before the crumbling mountaintop disappeared into the dirt.  
  
Sheba sat up gasping. She looked around the room from her spot on the floor where she had been sleeping for the past three months. She frowned as she cast her gaze toward her covered feet. What kind of dream was that? It was Alex when the mountain had sunken, but that was in the past. Master Hamma had said that she and Ivan might, some day, acquire the ability to see the future as she could, but she never mentioned anything about seeing what had happened in the past.  
  
Sheba threw her blanket off and over where Picard was. She gazed at him to make sure she had not roused him accidentally and then stood, quietly, and went to the foot of the stairs. She wrapped her arms around herself as a chill ran up her spine. The room was cool, not cold, but not warm, and her thin garments didn't help.  
  
Sheba crept up the stairs silently as not to wake the Mr. and Mrs. who laid in their beds sleeping soundly. She tried to avoid any squeaks on her way up, but stepped on a few. She paused at the top and looked to the left where Jenna's room door was and then to her right where Felix's room door was. She sighed. Her arms had small bumps as she rubbed them trying to get the blood moving through them faster to warm herself. She frowned. Who should she wake? Both of them had worked hard in their own ways and both of them needed their rest. She hated to disturb either of them, but she wanted to tell them about her strange dream. It bothered her. She wasn't supposed to see what had happened in the past!  
  
Sheba shivered and looked down at the floor. She sighed as she over came another shiver. She quietly inched toward Felix's door. He might be able to make something out of it. Jenna would probably just wake him up anyway. As a matter of fact, Sheba knew she would, so to avoid both of them being disturbed from their well-earned sleep she went with the door to her right.  
  
Felix awoke to being gently shaken. He sat up to a dark, shadowy room. He looked over to see Sheba on her knees by his bedside. He scowled and yawned.  
  
"Sheba? What are you doing? What is it?" he asked as he ran his fingers through his hair. "It's not even daylight outside yet. What's wrong?"  
  
Sheba lowered her head as if she'd just been scolded. "I- I'm sorry, Felix," she apologized. "It's just, I had a weird dream. It disturbed me; I needed to, to talk about it. I didn't know you'd be sore, I'm sorry."  
  
Felix stared at her as her words slowly set into his groggy head. "Oh, um, I'm not mad," he said sleepily. He pushed the covers back and swung his legs over the edge of his bed. "Come here. What is it, what did you want to talk about?"  
  
She frowned. "Weren't you listening to me?" she asked, slightly aggravated.  
  
"Yes, yeah, your dream, right," Felix said. He shook his head to wake himself up. "Sorry. Now what was it?"  
  
"My dream," Sheba said, sitting down beside him on the bed. "It was really weird. I saw Mt. Aleph when it was sinking under the ground. I saw Alex laying there on top of it. he's supposed to be dead, but I don't think he is."  
  
Felix frowned. "What? Wait, why not? They Wise One said he was dead, he said he sank with Mt. Aleph," he said, confused.  
  
"I know, but in the dream, when the mountain was almost gone, large dust clouds raised up in the sky and just before that, I saw Alex smiling," Sheba said.  
  
"So? And that means what? He's crazy, Sheba," Felix replied with a yawn.  
  
"But it wasn't a crazy smile!" Sheba shouted. "If you don't even care I'll just go back to sleep." Sheba stood to leave.  
  
"No! Wait, I'm interested," Felix said, catching her hand. "I'm sorry, finish telling me."  
  
Sheba stood for a minute and then sat back down. "Like I was saying, he was smiling. And it wasn't 'I'm completely crazy and I find it funny I'm going to die' kind of smile, but a 'I know a way to get off of this chunk of rock before I get sucked into the ground with it' kind of mischievous smile."  
  
"What do you think that means?" Felix asked.  
  
"I don't know, he did get off maybe?" Sheba replied. She shook her head. "That's not all. Before it actually sank into the ground I saw a flash and then a glimmer that remained a second after. I think he teleported off before it sank."  
  
"But we never saw a flash or a glimmer before when he teleported in sol sanctum and on the Mercury lighthouse. Why would that change?" Felix commented.  
  
Sheba shook her head. "I know, but he wasn't able to move. Maybe that had to do something with it. Maybe since he wasn't able to move it took more psynergy?" Sheba frowned and burred her face in her hands.  
  
"Don't be depressed. It's only a dream," Felix said, laying a comforting hand on her upper back.  
  
"It's not that," Sheba said, distressed. "It's the whole dream itself! Why would I dream about Alex teleporting off of Mt. Aleph? Why would I dream that he lived? Why? It doesn't make since. I'm supposed to be able to see the future as I grow in my psynergy, not see what happened in the past!"  
  
Felix frowned. "You think it has something to do with the fact that you're a Jupiter adept? You think you have the ability to see the past instead of the future?"  
  
"I think I have the ability to maybe do both," Sheba replied. "Master Hamma, she said that Ivan and I would some day be able to see the future like she does, to predict it. She didn't say anything about this."  
  
"You think your dream means something?"  
  
"Yes. I think it means we can also see the past. Or at least I can. I don't know anything before I was found in Lalavero. Nothing! So I don't know my parents, I don't know where I was born, I don't even know why I fell from the sky!" Sheba sighed as she hugged herself. She shook her head. "What does it mean?"  
  
"I don't know, Sheba," Felix said. "If it makes you feel any better, we can write a letter to Master Hamma and tell her about it tomorrow. She might be able to help you. She probably wouldn't mind paying a visit here to see you."  
  
Sheba smiled. "Thank yo-" Sheba froze before she finished. She had heard a noise. She looked at Felix to see if he had heard it too.  
  
"Sheba," Felix said. "What is that?"  
  
"I don't know. It sounds strange. Go see," she said.  
  
Felix stood to do just that when he heard it again. It was a raspy croaking sound-sort of. He'd never heard it before. It wasn't a cricket and it couldn't have been a frog. Vale didn't have frogs or toads ever since the old one sank.  
  
Felix grabbed his sword from the corner and walked quietly down the stairs. He opened the front door, as not to make a noise, and stepped out, closing it just as quietly. He looked around. It was pitch black. He couldn't see a thing. He heard the noise again, but it was further away. Whatever it was it was moving away. Whatever it was, Felix wanted to know.  
  
"Erok-roup!" Felix scowled as he walked forward. He could barely see his hand in front of his face. 'It would have to be a cloudy night' he thought. He was using the sound of the river for navigation. If only the clouds would move for a moment, just long enough for the full moon to give him light.  
  
"Erok!" Felix froze in his tracks. It was right in front of him, right at his feet. He strained his eyes trying to make something out, but he couldn't see a thing.  
  
A dark cloud above slowly moved out from in front of the moon. Felix gasped and stumbled backwards surprised, and fell over on his rump. The creature that had stopped in front of him was hideous! It looked sort of like a toad, but it had sharp teeth that over lapped each other and hung out of its mouth. It had rather obviously large claws on every toe like limb on each foot. Its blood red eyes pierced into his heart and the moonlight made them glow an eerie yellowish green.  
  
Felix tried to stand as it gazed wickedly at him, but he couldn't move. Something about its piercing gaze paralyzed every limb of his body right down to his eyes. He couldn't blink, he couldn't glance to the sides, he couldn't do anything with any part of his body. It opened its wide mouth and began hissing, drool and saliva dripping from its fangs.  
  
Another, large fluffy cloud drifted over the moon slowly, blocking Felix's vision. Now he couldn't see the creature! He could only hear it's hissing and wonder what it'd do to him. He found he could move, but he was too curious. He stayed, seated on the ground, listening, straining, and trying to see it again.  
  
The creature growled. The cloud slowly began to move away from the moon. It let out an ear piercing screech and then Felix heard a splash.  
  
When the cloud finally moved, it was gone. Felix looked around but didn't see a thing. He stood, picked up his sword and returned to the house. Disturbed, he closed the door behind him silently.  
  
"What was it?" Sheba whispered as she approached him.  
  
Felix shook his head. "It was-just a toad," he replied. "Go to bed. I'll write Hamma in the morning."  
  
Sheba reluctantly went to her mat on the floor and lie down. Felix walked up the stairs and entered his room. He closed the door and leaned against it. What was that thing? Had he seen and heard what he had seen and heard? Was it his imagination?  
  
Felix sighed as he laid back down. He was so tired he didn't know. He'd think about it more in the morning when his head was clear and he was well rested.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
A cold bitter wind blew small snowflakes around as they drifted down from the sky. The sky was covered completely by the gray clouds that lingered overhead. They threatened to drench the ground below or cover it completely in a blanket of fresh snow.  
  
He rolled over and placed a hand to his aching head. He tried to remember what had happened as he sat up slowly. His head spun and he slumped back down into the ankle high snow as a rush of memories came back to him. Mt. Aleph had sunken, and what after that? Where was he? It was cold, could he be-no, that's not the last thought he had.  
  
He shook his head as he stared up at the sky. Snowflakes continued to fall. His entire lower half of his body had a light blanket of snow over it plus the snow that had fallen from his chest when he sat up. Carefully, as not to make his head throb anymore, he propped himself up on his elbows and looked around.  
  
Snow. Snow, snow, snow, and even past that, more snow. The whole field, or whatever it was, around him was white. The only color visible was maybe the side of a boulder or perhaps a fallen tree limb sticking out of the snow. Everything else was already white or getting that way.  
  
Now he remembered. After it sank, the mount, into the ground, he was safe, safe from danger. But where had he gone? Where was this winter wonderland that he had fallen into? It was cold and damp from all the wet snow. His nose was cold and every breath he took he could see it puffing up in large white clouds. He frowned as he looked around yet again. Now where would he go? He was lost, wasn't he? He could always go somewhere else, but he was too weak. He didn't have enough psynergy.  
  
The wind whistled as it threateningly swooshed past in front of him. He shivered. He hadn't shivered in a long time. It seemed like years since he last felt a chill run up his spine. It seemed like decades since he had to bundle up so to keep the cruel wind off of his skin. His skin. His feet and hands were numb. He could barely feel his legs as he tried to stand. He was too cold, too weak. He fell back down to the ground harder than he had had getting up.  
  
Shaking his head, he put both hands up to his mouth and blew on them with his, amazingly, warm breath trying to warm them. He rubbed his arms and his legs trying to get the circulation into them once again. He was alone, and from the looks of the weather a blizzard was coming.  
  
"Well, well, well," a bitter, familiar female voice came. "Look what the cat drug in."  
  
He cringed as he turned to see a girl around the age of twenty or so standing a few feet away. How she'd approached him without him hearing or seeing her he didn't know, but now she was there and staring him down with death glares. Her pink hair looked like it had been chopped off and she dressed as if she didn't live somewhere cold. She smiled as she folded her arms and leaned against a rock. She seemed to be enjoying whatever sinister thought she was having right at the moment.  
  
He smiled, as he looked her over. She looked no different from when he'd last seen her. Her pale pink skin still as scaly as ever and her red eyes still as cruel and filled with grief as before. He was too weak. He couldn't fight her and he couldn't stand so running was out. He had to face her and whatever she wanted to do to him. He'd betrayed her-well, more like used her and her large, dumb friend, but still, betrayal or misuse, he still did it to her and it still made her mad.  
  
He sighed as he lowered his head almost in shame. He was too good for that, so it was probably because he hated having to face her. He spoke, reluctantly, but he still said a few words.  
  
"Karst, what a surprise it must be to see me here and like this," he said, calmly.  
  
"Save it!" she growled, her smile fading. "I don't want to hear another word out of your deceitful mouth much less another manipulation. Now that you're here, and apparently weak, you have heck to deal with, Alex."  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Felix whipped his forehead as the hot afternoon sun beat down upon his back while he worked diligently on thatching the inn's roof. He and a few other men had finished the inn earlier that morning and now all that was left was the roof.  
  
The sun had been shinning brightly none stop all morning. It's warm rays of cheerfulness kept the workers hot and tired as he continued to slave to finish the last few remaining houses. Now it had reached mid- afternoon and the sun continued to beat down, even harder now, on their backs testing them to see if they could take it.  
  
Felix sighed as he looked up toward the bright blue sky. A cool breeze blew through the trees and raced across the buildings roofs. It felt good and was very refreshing. He wished that it would never go away, for as long as it remained the scorching sun couldn't touch any of the people below it. But alas, the breeze did stop and the few men that were high enough to actually appreciate the full glory of a cool breeze pressed on in the day to hopefully finish what they were constructing.  
  
By now, Felix had forgotten completely about the strange creature he had encountered the night before. He'd thought only a short time in the morning when he was dressing, but after that it could have been a dream not worth remembering. However, he didn't forget about the letter to Hamma. Before he'd gone down the stairs to eat he sat down and wrote one, explaining Sheba's dream. After sealing it in an envelope he sent it on it's way and awaited a reply.  
  
Felix looked up from his work once again as some movement caught his attention from the corner of his eye. Normally, someone moving below on the ground wouldn't faze him, but it was different this time. The movement was coming from the entrance of Vale. When his eyes had settled on the cause of the movement he saw an unlikely pare of travelers asking a passing worker a question. They both looked as if they'd been walking since late morning and appeared to know exactly where they were. It was rather strange for someone to visit Vale, especially since most towns thought that the small out of the way town had sunk with Mt. Aleph.  
  
The man that they were talking to shook his head and pointed toward Felix. Quickly, before both of them turned to face where the man's finger directed, Felix went back to his work on the roof. He didn't want to be caught staring, that was for sure.  
  
"Excuse me," the male of the two said. "If you could spare some travelers a moment of your time and lend me a hand."  
  
Felix glanced down at them. He finished the spot he was working on and then climbed down a near by ladder.  
  
The man smiled. "Thank you, I hate to bother you," he said. "I was wondering, however, about the inn. That man over there said he wasn't working on it so he couldn't answer my question. Could you tell me when the inn will be complete? We would like to stay here and there is no other place."  
  
Felix nodded. He was tired and found it rather exasperating that the man took so long to ask his question. He saw no need for all the sentences before hand, and he also found it annoying that he informed Felix that there was only one inn in Vale when clearly he knew that.  
  
"Don't worry, the roof will be done by tonight. You should be able to check in around late evening," Felix replied.  
  
The man smiled. "Thank you," he said. He motioned for his friend to come and turned to walk away.  
  
Half way up the ladder Felix heard the same voice call him again. Rolling his eyes, he climbed back down and waited for the two to approach him once again.  
  
"Um, sorry, but would by any chance would you happen to know where the scholar Kraden is?" the girl asked. Her friend had stayed a few feet behind, apparently noticing how he had annoyed Felix.  
  
Felix scowled. Why did they want Kraden? The last time someone wanted to speak with Kraden was when Saturos and Menardi returned three years after the Mt. Aleph accident, and that led only to trouble.  
  
"Maybe I do," he replied, turning back to the ladder. "What business might you have with him?"  
  
The girl stared at him for a moment and then glanced back at her traveling companion who nodded as if to say it was all right. "Well, we're travelers from Tolbi. We too are scholars and Iodem, who took the throne when lord Babi passed, sent us to study alchemy. He wants to know the reason for Babi's interest. Since Kraden was successful in his studies, we came here in search of him so he might help us understand."  
  
Felix was a little surprised that the girl was so willing to explain it so clearly. He didn't see any harm in what they where there for and saw no reason to keep them from the old man's house. After all, Kraden was wise enough to decide wither someone meant well or evil.  
  
The girl smiled hopelessly. "You won't show us to his house, will you?" she asked. Her shoulders drooped and she looked disappointed as her jade green eyes fell to the ground. "I suppose I understand. Iodem said you might not trust us. He said you had great troubles last time. I guess I understand." She quietly turned to her friend and shook her head.  
  
Felix bit his bottom lip and chewed it momentarily. He didn't understand why she was so disappointed. There were plenty of other people in Vale that could easily direct them to Kraden's home. However, since they seemed to know about the past events maybe they sought approval from one of the 'warriors' that lit the lighthouses. None the less, Felix's heart nagged at his conscience and between the two of them he felt guilty.  
  
"Wait," he said. The girl paused and turned back around to face him. "I'll take you there. His house is sort of secluded and hard to find if you're a visitor."  
  
The girl smiled. "Thank you, we're very grateful!" she said.  
  
Felix sighed. He was low on the ground were all the cool air was and he needed a break anyway. He still felt a little bad for just abandoning his job like that, but it wouldn't take that long to get to Kraden's. He'd probably be back before his dad realized he was gone.  
  
Felix led the way up the stairs. He was tired and every hill, step, or rock he had to lift his feet over was hard to do. His muscled ached and his torso throbbed. He'd worked so hard in the past three months that it wasn't funny. The only thing he wished he could have done different was rest on his trip home instead of make sure the boat was in good order.  
  
Felix knew the way like the back of his hand. Up the stairs leading to the Plaza, cross the bridge near his home, go down those stairs, walk a few feet to the thirty-four steps behind his house, walk until there aren't anymore trees to your left and turn. After that it was rather hard to miss where you were going.  
  
Felix went up the last set of stairs rather relieved. He held his hand out as if presenting it to them, and then turned to leave.  
  
"Felix! What a pleasant surprised!" Kraden called. When Felix turned the old man was nowhere in sight.  
  
"I'm up here, son," Kraden said, waving from his roof.  
  
"Why were you on the roof?" Felix asked as he rushed to the bottom of the ladder to stable it as the old man climbed down.  
  
"Oh, it's a rather interesting story, if I do say so myself," Kraden replied, reaching the ground. "Thank you."  
  
"What were you doing?" Felix asked, glancing up toward the roof. "You could have fallen and killed yourself."  
  
"Oh, now seriously, Felix, after all I went through with traveling do you think I'm not careful enough to get on my own roof?" Kraden said. He held something round, brown and shiny up in his hand. "You see this? It's one of my new experiments. You see, the reason it's brown is because I'm depressed, but not in a foul mood."  
  
Felix stared at the object that had been shoved in his face. "What are you talking about?" he asked, pushing the scholars hand away.  
  
"Oh, that. Well, you see, using a little power of alchemy, I have created this ball you see here. From what I can tell, it changes colors according to the mood you are in. Blue is a good mood, brown depressed or disappointed, red angry, and black, a very, very bad mood. As you can see," Kraden explained, pointing to it. "It's changed to green."  
  
"What's green mean?" Felix asked, taking the ball. When he turned it over facing the sky again it was a much brighter green.  
  
"Well, if you observed, when you touched it to push my hand away, it turned a light shade of green. Now that you are holding it, it is very bright," Kraden replied. "Green means you're very tired. You should probably rest for the next week, Felix. Bright green means you're exhausted."  
  
Felix frowned. He didn't like the fact that these two new strangers knew he was tired, but since there was nothing he could do about it, he ignored it. "That still doesn't explain why you were on your roof."  
  
"Yes, well, when I had that thing in my boiling pot it shot straight up through the ceiling and onto the roof. Now I have a hole in my bedroom floor upstairs, and that is a good reason to be depressed, wouldn't you agree?" Kraden laughed.  
  
"That's a wonderful item, Kraden!"  
  
Kraden looked rather startled as he turned to see the two Felix had brought. "Oh my, I didn't see you standing there. Thank you kind sir, and who might you be?"  
  
The man, whom had spoken, stepped forward. "My name is Kaiden, and this is my sister, Kitty," he replied. "We are scholars from Tolbi. We have come here seeking to study alchemy with you."  
  
"Alchemy?" Kraden looked quizzically at Felix who only shrugged. "Well, I see nothing wrong with that. You're scholars from Tolbi? I thought when Babi died all the scholars studying alchemy would retire. What makes you different?"  
  
"Iodem sent us," the girl now addressed as Kitty said. "He wanted to know why Babi was so interested in the power of alchemy, so he sent us to study it."  
  
"That's a good enough reason, I suppose," Kraden replied. He smiled and stepped forward. "I am Kraden, as you already know."  
  
"It is a pleasure to meet you," Kaiden said, bowing slightly.  
  
Kraden turned and looked at Felix. He stared him down with a very menacing glare. His eyes seemed to say, 'don't be rude, introduce yourself, or should I treat you like a three year old and do if for you?'.  
  
Felix swallowed hard. He felt threatened under the cold stare he was receiving. "I'm Felix," he said, nodding.  
  
The girl smiled. "I thought you were! Iodem has heard all about you from Master Hamma. She visited him after the Mars lighthouse was lit. We were told to look for you and Isaac along with your companions."  
  
Felix smiled as well. "I have to go back to the plaza," he said. "I still have work to do."  
  
"Yes, be careful, and don't over work yourself," Kraden said.  
  
Felix tossed the ball back to Kraden and proceeded down the stairs. He'd been gone long enough. His dad probably noticed he was gone now.  
  
Sighing, Felix began to jog back. Maybe if he got there before the meal break was called he would be let off the hook. 


	2. Chapter II: A great threat

Authors/Note: Someone made the suggestion to me to make my chapters shorter. The reason that was so long is I just kept typing and typing and typing not really paying any attention to how long it was getting. It ended up that I decided to stop after I had 12 pages done. So, sorry if you don't like long fics, this one could be shorter, it could be just as long or maybe longer (which I doubt it but who knows), but we'll see. Oh, and the person who has a fic with a similar title as mine, don't worry about it! I was thinking about using A instead of The, now I'm glad I didn't!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Golden sun.  
  
Golden Sun: The New Beginning  
  
Chapter II: A great threat  
  
Isaac sighed as he sat down for a short brake. He was working on the sanctum with Garet and couldn't help but think about his conversation with Jenna earlier. He always found himself worrying or thinking about her family, mostly her and Felix's relationship. He wondered if it had been in any way damaged when Felix had first been found out to be alive and with the enemy. Though the two he traveled with weren't really evil or anything, they still posed a certain threat. None the less, Isaac still felt a little bit bad for killing them.  
  
Isaac sighed again as he heard his clumsy friend mutter a certain curse that he would have been beaten for as a kid for saying. He only guessed that Garet had fallen through the roof or something of the sort. He was too tired to turn around, and even if he had of seen what had happened, Garet would be the one to fix it, not him.  
  
Isaac found his mind wondering to other things. He sort of was sad his adventure was over, but mostly happy to be home, even if it wasn't completely re-built yet. He always thought of the people he'd met and helped. He wondered what Iodem was doing now that Babi was dead, and How Master Hamma was wherever she was. He didn't know if she'd returned to the llama temple or not.  
  
Isaac's smile faded as he glanced out at the bridge just to the right of the stairs leading to the sanctum. Just a few minutes ago he'd seen Felix cross it heading for Kraden's house with two different looking people, probably travelers from the looks of their clothing. He didn't suspect anything, they'd looked friendly enough, but also he completely trusted Felix again. Garet on the other hand was different. He hadn't pointed the three out to the red headed adept with him, because anything that Felix did with outsiders looked suspicious to him. He hadn't learned to trust Jenna's brother again yet even though everyone around him did.  
  
After a few more minutes of pondering and resting Isaac stood and stretched. As he did though, he noticed Felix coming back across the bridge, alone this time. The young adept looked irritated if anything and paused briefly, sighing as he leaned on the rope railing that went across the sides of the bridge. He caught Isaac out of the corner of his eye and looked up at him.  
  
Isaac smiled, to himself if nobody else, and gave a friendly wave, bringing his hand up from in front of him until it was even with his head and then dropped it back to his side, before he bent to pick up some tools. He didn't look back up for a while as he set right back to work, but when he did, Felix was gone.  
  
Garet barely was aware of anything that Isaac did as he worked hard to repair the spot in the roof he'd busted open. He hated his clumsiness sometimes, but it could come in handy whenever he did something good, for once, by mistake. Other wise, he was a walking accident waiting to happen, but not all the time. He could be responsible when the time called for it, and serious when he saw it fit. The rest of the time he acted goofy or sarcastic, making the occasional wise crack every so often.  
  
Right now though, all wise cracks, smart remarks, and jokes were far from his mind. He wanted to get the sanctum done so he could help build the other houses and maybe thatch a few roofs in the plaza. He wanted Vale back just as much as everybody else, and he'd stop at little to nothing to finish the task.  
  
However, rebuilding a whole town wasn't easy, and nobody had said it was. But each man and woman helped in his or her own way, the men building and the women cleaning, Vale was beginning to look like, well, Vale. Even the children helped if they could, mostly with the cleaning and moving of furniture, but they also would run get things earning the name fetch-it-boy or girl, depending on the gender.  
  
Garet looked up from his work to see Isaac picking up a several tools. He sighed and glanced up at the sun noticing it was mid afternoon. With that fact in mind, and the rather unquestionable sound of his growling stomach, Garet decided it was time to eat.  
  
Standing, he dusted himself off and walked over to join Isaac, now down the ladder and on the ground, to inform him of his hunger. When he reached the bottom of the ladder, he immediately felt cooler as he wasn't so high and was now farther from the scorching sun. Sighing with a little relief he turned to Isaac.  
  
"I'm hungry," he stated matter of fact. "I'm going home to eat. Want to come?"  
  
Isaac sighed. It was awfully tempting, but he really wanted to finish up as early in the day as possible so he could help elsewhere. However, he hadn't had anything to eat since breakfast, and that had been served early in the morning.  
  
Sighing again, Isaac shrugged. Just as he was about to say something in reply, he heard someone call out his name.  
  
"Isaac!" a female voice shouted.  
  
The two turned to see Jenna walk-running up the stairs waving with a rather large basket in her hands. In it were rolls, bread, sandwiches, and anything else that could possibly be made to eat for lunch.  
  
Garet smiled but felt a sudden overwhelming feeling of jealousy when up behind the young girl came Picard. Even if Jenna did say he was 'just a friend' Garet could tell she had an eye for him in some way and that he was sweet on her. It made him a little uncomfortable since he liked Jenna and had for most of his girl liking days.  
  
Isaac noticed the jealous look in his friend's eyes and the fact that Jenna was oblivious to it. He decided to speak first since he knew Garet might not sound very nice.  
  
"What's all this?" Isaac asked, stepping forward as Jenna handed the basket full of food to him.  
  
"Mom made several baskets of food for all the workers around here. I wanted to deliver the ones that had been made for you and Felix," Jenna explained, smiling brightly at the two. Her smile seemed to widen when she looked at Garet, but it could have just been Isaac's imagination.  
  
Garet smiled giving his attention to Jenna. "That was nice of you," he said. He stepped up beside Isaac and glanced down into the basket. Being as hungry as he was it was hard not to grab it.  
  
"Picard had to come this way to get back to the house he's been working on, so he accompanied me up here," Jenna explained, noticing the questioning look she received from Isaac.  
  
In return to her words, Isaac smiled and handed the basket to Garet, whom he knew was itching to eat the delicious food with in it.  
  
"Go set the food out somewhere," he instructed. He used his eyes and motioned for Jenna to go with him.  
  
Catching on to an extent Jenna smiled. "I'll help you, Garet," she said. Walking forward she took his arm and led him a ways away to a board that was sat on top of a stump, serving as a table. Setting the basket in the middle, she then began setting the food out evenly so the board wouldn't tilt.  
  
Picard watched her for a few minutes and then sighed, casting his gaze to the ground. It was a little cooler in Vale up north than he was used to, but with all the work he did to help out and the hot sun he was more comfortable in the cloths he normally wore, though he, as well as the rest of his party and Isaac's, had retired his armor to a nice tucked away spot in Felix's home.  
  
Isaac would soon join his two friends who were busying themselves with setting out the food, but for now he wanted to ease Picards troubled mind. When Garet had become jealous, it was clear that the lumarian had sensed it. He looked to have an uneasy feeling and Isaac didn't want him to go off thinking Garet was violent or anything of the sort.  
  
Smiling, Isaac sought his words carefully. He barely knew the man and found it hard to talk with him, as he was quiet around anybody other than Felix, Jenna, Kraden, or Sheba.  
  
"It's not that he doesn't want you here. He's just one to jump to conclusions easily," Isaac said. Since Picard seemed very observant and listened to everything around him, he saw no need to catch his attention.  
  
Picard raised his head and looked at the blonde adept. He knew what he meant. He had sensed Garet's jealousy and felt a little uncomfortable with the cold accusing stare he'd received. It didn't bother him that much, he'd gotten such stares before in his lifetime, but he didn't want to have any enemies in this town. He wanted to at least feel welcome if not be accepted. He didn't ask for much, just kindness like he showed toward others. It didn't have to be original, a smile his way would even do.  
  
Picard nodded his head. "I know," he said. "It's understandable. He's jealous that's all." He smiled faintly as his gaze wondered over to Jenna. She was very happy with her family and friends, and that made him happy for her.  
  
Isaac looked over that way too. He smiled as Jenna noticed them watching and waved. She was laughing, but Garet looked embarrassed or something of the sort.  
  
"He likes her," Isaac stated. Picard only nodded his reply. "He always has ever since I can remember."  
  
"She doesn't know, does she?" Picard asked, curious.  
  
Isaac frowned. Sighing he replied. "No, he won't tell her. He doesn't want her around other guys, but he won't tell her how he feels so she'll know why. She likes him as well, she just doesn't show it."  
  
Picard smiled to himself. "She likes a lot of people," he stated. "But him the most."  
  
For a moment they were silent and then Picard sighed quietly, but loud enough to be heard. He looked up at the sky checking to see where the sun was and back down at Jenna.  
  
"I have to go," he said. "I need to get back to work." He stood there waiting until Jenna looked his way. He then waved and left.  
  
Isaac sighed. Jenna, and Garet especially, were calling him over to come eat. He smiled as he walked over to them, and when he sat down he submerged himself in thought, not really paying much attention to the other two. In the entire time he'd spent with Felix and his group, lighting the mars lighthouse and coming home, he'd barely gotten to know Sheba or Picard. Ivan hadn't seemed to have a problem doing so, Garet neither as he butted in on many of conversations that Ivan had with Sheba or Picard. Mia was the only one who really hadn't tried to learn about them. Well, she wanted to, but she had become shy lately around just about everybody. She would sit quietly writing letters or knitting something. She'd sit and listen; always ready to add something in, but never saying much.  
  
Isaac sighed. What did it matter? She wasn't being rude to anyone, and besides, the girl Sheba was shy herself. Picard tended to keep to himself a lot but was always willing to interact and socialize with others.  
  
Isaac smiled as Jenna teased Garet. It was her way of flirting, and through that showing her emotions toward him. Garet however was too blind to see it. Mostly he was blinded by his love for her, but sometimes by jealousy.  
  
Isaac shook his head. He'd have to think about it later when there weren't people to talk with. He'd find time while working or late at night to think about it. Right now he was interested in eating and talking with his friends.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
The fire laughed as its small flickering flames licked the large logs in the hearth letting its warm rays of light dance around on the ceiling and walls, bouncing happily up from the floor. The small cup of hot liquid steamed as it piped out warmth and warmed the glass that shaped it. The fuzzy thick blanket was warm and absorbed a lot of the heat put off from the fireplace. The fire, and one candle on the far table near the door, was the only light in the room.  
  
Staring down into his cup of hot tea Alex shivered though now very warm. He was slightly surprised that Karst had brought him back and instead of throwing him in a prison or killing him, she put him in a warm house next to the fire and provided a blanket and a hot drink. It was apparent that she wasn't one to hold a grudge, but he'd been warned to stay put and not leave on any circumstances because there was one proxian that wasn't as forgiving.  
  
Though he was stronger than Agatio and not intimidated by his large size, right at the moment, every ounce of energy, psynergy and strength, had been drained and was slowly, very slowly, returning. Even with some of his true strength back he didn't feel like fighting anybody, no matter what, so he was perfectly content to do as he had been told.  
  
Even though it was very warm in the house, the cracks in the windows let in small gushes of chill wind and cold winter air seeped under the door. The flames of the fire constantly offered their warming comfort as the bitter winds and cruel winter outside whipped and howled to get in and unleash its wrath upon the inhabitants of the building. The candle flickered, almost going out when a fowl wind caused a gust to cross along the top of the table, but it remained lit and true.  
  
The room was dim even with the pale lighting of late day shinning in through the windows and the ever warm light of the fire. The candle offered very little solution to the cold darkness that began to fill the room and hardly was able to stay lit to fend off the shadows that loomed ever so near.  
  
The weight of the snow on the roof caused the house to groan and creek in frustration, but the sudden complaints of the building did little to the blue haired adept. His blue eyes remained fixed on the flames in the fireplace and his only reply to any sound was a blink or sigh. He held the cup of tea in his hands letting the steam rise up and warm his face. He'd inhale the sweet sent of the herbs used to make it every so often and breath out his breath through his mouth in a heavy sigh. Deep in his thought he narrowed his brow and muttered something under his breath. His blue hair was damp from the moisture that was in the snow that he had been laying in. His hair hung loosely around his face and most of it behind him was trapped under the blanket, but many strands freely hung down his back.  
  
The door opened suddenly and a young female proxian stepped in. Alex only removed his gaze from the fireplace long enough to look her over. She had blonde hair, cut short. She wore rather large boots and a fluffy thick coat. What was under it he didn't know, and satisfied with that he turned his eyes back to the hearth. She had to use a good bit of her strength to force the door back shut and Alex wasn't pleased with the amount of chill air she let in, but he didn't complain or say anything.  
  
When she got the door closed nicely, she turned around to face him. In her arms were a thick shirt and pants and a heavy coat. She laid them down on the floor next to where he sat.  
  
"Put those on and come outside when you have. I'll wait for you there," she instructed. Then she quickly turned as if she were about to face an army of questions and thrusting the door open she walked out, and jerked it closed behind her with a rather loud slam.  
  
Alex examined the clothing for a moment. The shirt and pants looked as if they were from Imil, but it was obvious that the coat had been made here.  
  
He put them on as he was told, and slipped the coat on to his shoulders, sliding his arms into the sleeves. Satisfied and confident that he'd be warm, he went outside like he was instructed. Just to the right the doorway the proxian waited like she said she would, a little impatient, but still waiting. When he closed the door with what looked to be little effort she gave him a look of disgusted and an obnoxious grunt.  
  
"The village elder has been informed of your arrival," she snarled. "Karst sent me to get you. Come with me, it's this way."  
  
Alex followed the girl rather closely. He felt as if there were a hundred eyes staring at his back glaring daggers into it. He could sense the tenseness and hear harsh words being whispered amongst many others as they passed. Apparently Karst and Agatio had taken the privilege to tell some tails.  
  
The wind was bitter and harsh. It blew none stop against the two figures as they made their way through the town and storm. Howling, it passed through a few trees and stirred up thin clouds of snow from the layer already resting on the ground. The snowflakes were almost blinding and felt like they dug claws into every part of the body they touched. Even the weather disapproved of the adept's presence.  
  
The girl took Alex to a building. He couldn't tell if it was the center of the town or not since he couldn't see the entrance for all the snow. All he did know was that it had large puffs of smoke bellowing out of the chimneystack that added to the gray clouds above.  
  
The wind spat snowflakes in Alex's face in one last effort to make him shiver. He simply shrugged it off and stepped into the warmth and safety of the building. He used the sleeve of his coat to wipe the snowflakes that had stuck to his face off and watched as one melted in his hair as the warm air came in contact with it.  
  
He waited, watching the proxian who had brought him there retreat from the room. He looked around at his surroundings and sighed. It wasn't fancy but had a rather homey touch to it. The fireplace had a very large blazing fire in it and a fairly good-sized wood stack next to the hearth. The mantel was covered with a few lanterns and oil lamps, which were lit with a small flickering light in them.  
  
There was a large, soft fluffy rug in the center of the room with a cushiony chair by the fireplace. A table was on the opposite wall with two chairs at it, several old, but nice, looking drapes hung from rods over the windows, and an oven was tucked nicely in a corner with a fire ablaze underneath and something boiling in a large iron pot that smelled tasty.  
  
There were some stairs and a door toward the back wall. Alex guessed that the stairs led to an attic, or more than likely a bedroom since there wasn't one in this room, and the door was a storage closet or another way to leave the house. Either way he didn't care. He'd been brought there to meet the elder or Karst who would take him to the elder, neither of which he saw.  
  
Sighing and rather frustrated, he moved further into the room. Stopping with the plushy rug beneath his feet he looked around the room and examined things more closely. He found that there was a very detailed design on the fireplace and the lamps and lanterns on top of the mantelpiece gave off just the right amount of light.  
  
The chair near the fire looked very comfortable and inviting to a tired weary man. Alex noticed, now that he was closer, that there was a small round table next to the arm of the chair. The table was stained a dark wood color to match the chair, and the legs of it matched the chair's legs right down to the design. On top of it sat a book and oil lamp along with a little bottle of oil to refill the lamps with.  
  
Everything, including the surroundings, was warm and cozy, perfect to be called home. The room reminded him of his old home in Imil, warm and perfect with just the right amount of light. Accept he only had one room and the bed was behind a small curtain against the wall.  
  
"You look like you've been taken back in time," an old, scruffy voice said from behind the young man.  
  
Alex turned to see an elderly proxian, no doubt the elder, with Karst right behind him. He had wrinkles and his hair was graying. He looked fairly warm in his baggy pants and stiff shirt and on top of that comfortable. He moved fast for such an old man and showed neither kindness nor cruelty and hate in his eyes.  
  
"I'm just reminded of home," Alex spoke, replying politely. "Where I'm sure I'm no longer welcome."  
  
The elder paused by his armchair and looked at Alex. "What a pity," he said in a sad tone. "What young people do these days. Huh. They go wrong on the paths they walk and are no longer welcome in their own town." The elder motioned for Alex to sit down in one of the chairs at the table. "Please, sit down."  
  
Alex shook his head watching the man sit down himself. "No, thank you," he said. "I'm young, as you said, I'll stand if you don't mind."  
  
"Oh, no, not at all," the elder replied. He sighed, leaning back in his chair and closing his eyes. "This winter is getting to me. Its too cold and too bitter for an old man like me to live in." He chuckled to himself as he focused his eyes on Karst who stood across the room behind Alex. "And considering the fact that it's normally winter around here, I'd say I'll not make it."  
  
Alex rolled his eyes skyward and sighed. He was impatient himself and hated common chitchat when there was a reason for a meeting. He wanted to get on with it and it showed in how he was acting. He stood with his arms crossed. His eyes searched the room in a bored fashion and he sighed more than needed.  
  
The elder frowned. "Your not much for talking, are you?" he asked, reading the adept's signs. "If you'd sit down it'd be easier to talk to you."  
  
Alex rolled his eyes again. He walked over to the wall next to the fireplace and leaned against it his arms still folded in his impatient manner. He crossed one ankle over her other and leaned all of his weight onto the wall for an answer to the suggestion. He hated waiting sometimes. It was annoying especially now.  
  
The elder sighed annoyed himself. He folded his hands nicely across his chest resting his elbows on the arms of the chair. "Well, then, I guess I'll get on with it," he muttered. Casting his gaze into the fire he heaved a deep breath and released it.  
  
Alex listened patiently as he waiting for the old proxian to tell his story. He kept expecting him to say something but he only stared silently into the fire. The man had a glazed look in his eye as he continued to cast a blank stare toward the flames licking the logs. The fire cracked and popped, laughing at the old man's wounded stare.  
  
Reluctantly, the elder tore his gaze from the comforting glow of the fire and stood. He walked over to Alex to face him. "I'm getting old and I feel it. My eyesight is fading and my instincts aren't as good as they used to be. But I have a strange feeling about you. I think you'll help no matter what side you choose in the end."  
  
Alex frowned and his brow narrowed in confusion. "What are you talking about, old-timer?" he demanded. "What do you mean I'll help?" His frown deepened. "Side? What does that mean?" he whispered.  
  
The elder smiled. "Does it matter? Are there really sides, good and evil? Do you know, Alex? Can you tell me?"  
  
Alex's frown deepened even more as he turned his head away casting his gaze elsewhere in the room. Slowly he glanced at the man and looked him in the eye, but could tell nothing of what he was thinking. He sighed, relaxing his features and shrugged, throwing his hands out to the side as if he were presenting himself to someone. "Ok, I don't know. Why don't you tell me?"  
  
The elder smiled again. "Patients brings answers as well as people do," he said. He walked back over to his chair but only stood in front of it. His eyes glazed over again as they wondered into the fire. "There is a great threat in Weyard, and I fear your friends who rest in Vale may not be ready for it. Now go."  
  
Alex frowned. "You never told me what you wanted me to do," he growled in an exasperated tone. The old man's games were getting on his nerves. He saw no point behind such things and wished for them to stop immediately.  
  
"Patients, my boy, patients!" the elder said. He sighed a sad content sigh. "Now return to your house. I wish to rest."  
  
Alex scowled as he watched the elder wobble up the stairs, disappearing into the darkness. He frowned down upon the rug beneath his feet. He had some thinking to do, and a lot of it.  
  
"Patients," he muttered under his breath. He remembered that he wasn't alone and sighed, removing and look of annoyance from his face.  
  
Alex smiled and gave Karst a cocky smirk showing his regular confidence as he looked over at her. He turned, bowed obnoxiously and proceeded to the door. Any pleasure he might have given her with his puzzled blank expressions he hoped he'd wiped out with his snotty attitude. But it didn't matter he needed to be alone.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
The sun sank slowly behind the mountains. Mia watched contently like she used to when she was in Imil and it always made her happy. But as it shed its last bits of rays upon Weyard she wore a frown on her face and her features were far from cherry.  
  
She sighed, a gloomy shadow passing over her eyes as she cast them down upon Vale. Every building glowed orangey as the setting sun cast red and yellowish colors into the sky. Everything was so far away from where she stood by the sanctum. She often had begun coming there at night to think and clear her mind of the burden of tangled thoughts. She didn't feel like her usual self and found comfort only in being alone.  
  
By the sanctum was the perfect place to be alone after supper and when the sun was setting. Isaac and Garet and all the other workers who worked on the now finished building at her side had long since retired to their homes to eat and rest peacefully as the night slowly crept by.  
  
Mia sighed again, her blue eyes twinkling slightly. A few stars started to come out and dance around in the heavens with their black velvety sky behind them. The clouds were barely visible now as the sun sank into a deep slumber for the night.  
  
Mia frowned deeper as sounds of happy children echoed off the many cliff sides and flittered into her ear. She once was a happy child, though most of her time was spent inside playing and away from the bitter cold of winter, but none the less, she used to laugh like that. It had only changed recently too. She hoped she wasn't worrying anybody and wished vainly that nobody would notice her change in personality. But yet, somehow despite her wishing and hoping, she sensed that everyone did notice. And in the back of her subconscious mind she knew it.  
  
The sky darkened and the sun could no longer be seen. The stars were brighter now and there were more of them. The moon hadn't yet come up. It was still hiding from any remaining rays of daylight that might be shining on the land. Mia felt tears puddle up in her eyes but she held them back. Her bottom lip quivered and one tear slipped, but she quickly wiped it away.  
  
"Mia?" a familiar voice said from behind followed by a gentle touch to her shoulder.  
  
Mia gasped, startled by the sudden contact and voice, and whirled around surprised, to see Ivan standing there with concern showing in his eyes and a worried frown.  
  
"What are you doing?" he asked retiring his hand back to his side.  
  
Mia smiled slightly and turned around, letting the Jupiter adept, and friend, step up beside her. "Just. nothing," she replied, pausing for quiet a while in-between words. "Need something?"  
  
Ivan frowned again as her small smile faded back into a sad face. He could easily read her mind and tell what she was thinking, but he'd rather her tell him what was wrong in her own time.  
  
"No," he replied. He looked out toward Vale and sighed. Now was the perfect time to talk to her. He thought for a moment seeking his words wisely. Then he spoke again.  
  
"You've been quiet lately, not talking much, hardly saying a thing. You changed, Mia," he said, gently placing his hand on her arm to catch her attention. "What's wrong?"  
  
Mia felt tears fill her eyes again. She looked at Ivan pitifully and sighed. "You noticed?" she asked.  
  
Ivan nodded his head. "Everybody has. Miss Dora, Isaac, and even Jenna who's hardly been around you lately," he replied.  
  
Mia frowned again, casting her gaze to the ground, her blue eyes continuing to puddle up. "I-I don't know what's wrong. I'm sorry, I wish I could tell you," she said quietly, her voice cracking.  
  
Ivan sighed. At least she was talking.  
  
"Maybe," he said, "if you remember when you started being quiet it would help you figure it out."  
  
Mia was quiet for the longest time, staring at the ground not moving or making the slightest sound. She sighed once, but remained quiet as she thought the rest of the time. Finally she spoke.  
  
"I don't remember. Tell me when I changed, Ivan," she said. "You of all people would know since you notice so many things."  
  
Ivan thought for a few minutes. When did she start to change? He had a time trying to remember but after a while of silence he put his finger on it. She'd started to become quiet and less cheerful when.  
  
Ivan frowned. Surely that wouldn't disturb her. She never had seemed to care before that happened, but maybe there was another reason. Still, if what he was thinking was right, he wanted to let her know.  
  
"You became quiet when Mt. Aleph sank and Alex went with it," Ivan replied. He looked at her to see her reaction only to witness a tear roll down her cheek.  
  
Mia wiped the tear away and sighed. "I'm sorry," she said, apologizing for her weepiness. "But you know, your right. That was when I changed, I remember." Her voice trailed off as she stood in her thoughts once again. She noded her head and frowned. "Yes, that's when."  
  
Ivan put a comforting hand on her arm. It was a little surprising to him to hear it, seeing as how she was so angry with Alex. How could she miss him? Or did she miss him? Ivan had heard of becoming quiet when sad or upset before, but Mia gave a new meaning to it. Her personality had changed completely.  
  
"Why, do you think, you changed because of that?" he asked.  
  
Mia shrugged. "Because I miss him? I've always wished he hadn't done that when I first found out about his betrayal. But something just doesn't feel right about his death," she replied. She shook her head.  
  
"What do you mean?" Ivan questioned, slightly confused. "You don't think he deserved death? Is that it?"  
  
Mia shook her head again. "No. Well, yes, but that's not it," she replied. "I just don't feel that he'd be killed so easily. Especially when there was so much time to escape. I've known him all of my life, and it doesn't seem like Alex to just let himself die like that!"  
  
Ivan sighed. "But he said he wasn't the Alex you knew when we were on top of the Mercury lighthouse. You heard him and you know he changed."  
  
"Yes, but I don't think he changed that part. He just changed so he was power hungry that's all, really. Besides, once a survivor always a survivor."  
  
"What do you mean by that?"  
  
Mia frowned. "He was a survivor. You know, somebody who wouldn't give up no matter what. When his life was in danger he didn't freeze like some people do, he found a way out with a cool head. And he saw no reasoning behind panicking when there was nothing that could be done. Even with that fact he still managed to live through whatever it was," she explained. "And when you're a survivor."  
  
"You stay one and don't change," Ivan finished for her. He saw what she was saying now. After having it explained to him he couldn't see how Alex would have just given up and died either. It seemed stupid if not possible.  
  
Now Ivan was beginning to think. He remembered earlier that day speaking with Sheba about her dream. She said she found comfort in telling strange nightmares or dreams to other people and since Ivan was a Jupiter adept she told him she figured he'd understand a little better than anybody else.  
  
Ivan frowned as he looked back out on Vale. It was completely dark and he couldn't see much past Isaac's house. He wondered if he should tell Mia. He hoped Sheba wouldn't mind and if she did she could forgive him.  
  
"Mia," he said. "I spoke with Sheba earlier today and she told me of a dream she had. She said in it she saw Alex and Mt. Aleph sinking, but something was different. She was rather disturbed and quiet much like you are now. She said she didn't believe Alex was dead. Is that was you think as well?"  
  
Mia turned to Ivan. "Sheba? She thinks he's alive?" she questioned. She frowned and lowered her head. "Yes, I don't think he's dead either."  
  
Ivan nodded. Now that he'd talked to the two young ladies he didn't think he was either. There was a very high possibility that he was alive and kicking.  
  
"Mia, have thought about telling Isaac?" he asked.  
  
"What? No, he wouldn't believe me," Mia replied. She shook her head. "No, I haven't thought of it."  
  
"Why shouldn't he believe you?" Ivan exclaimed. "He'd at least listen to you. He always has. He's very kind and caring you know that. And he worries about you now. You're so quiet."  
  
Mia sighed. "I guess your right," she said. Now that he mentioned it, Isaac was very willing to listen to anyone. And since he knew her history with Alex he might believe her. "What are you saying?"  
  
Ivan sighed. "Tell him! Sheba's told Felix about her dream and suspicion. If you tell Isaac, maybe they'll believe the two of you."  
  
Mia cast her gaze out on what she could see of Vale. She frowned as she listened to the sound of the waterfall off to the right a yard or so and submerged herself in thought. Why shouldn't she tell Isaac? He'd listen to her, Ivan was right. She just didn't feel comfortable talking about it though. It had been different with Ivan because he was concerned and she found it easy to tell him. But Isaac was concerned as well, so it'd probably be just as easy.  
  
"Why not?" Mia asked. "Ok, I'll tell him but not tonight. I don't want him thinking about it when he should be resting."  
  
Ivan nodded. "That's fine," he said. Glancing up at the moon he smiled. "Speaking of rest, we need to go to the house before we lose to much of it."  
  
Mia nodded. The moon had almost reached the eleven o'clock point in the sky. She turned and walked down the sanctum stairs followed by her friend. She felt a little better, but still not quite herself.  
  
When they reached the house, everybody was already asleep. Quietly the two prepared themselves for bed and then lay down on their mattresses on the floor upstairs in the room next to Isaac's. Ivan fell asleep fast since he was tired from working all day, however, Mia found it hard not to dwell on Alex.  
  
She tried to think of other things, but knowing Sheba had the same suspicion she did, she couldn't help but wonder where the blue haired man would go if he had survived. Where he'd seek to stay while he regained his strength. What he'd do when he gained it back and if he'd want revenge on the wise one.  
  
Slowly the night passed on, and very slowly Mia's eyes grew heavy as her thoughts ran wild. She closed them to rest so she could think straight and slipped into a gently slumber.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
The very pale moonlight crept into the room through the crack in the closed drapes. Other than the wall that was stained with a line of light the room was completely dark and quiet. Nothing could be heard all over the castle and everybody else was asleep.  
  
Quietly he spoke to himself in a soft cautious whisper, glancing back at the locked door every once and a while checking to see that no one was at it. He smiled as the darkness around him consumed him. His heart was as black as the surrounding chamber.  
  
"If I can keep all outside contact from coming to Hamma then she's sure so leave llama temple seeking the answer. Yes, yes, that is right. She'll come looking for this, this letter she'll never lay her cursed eyes upon," he chuckled to himself.  
  
In his murderous hands he held a letter neatly tucked inside the envelope which was addressed to be delivered to Master Hamma of Llama Temple. The writer of the letter was just as unsuspecting of the un- authorized discontinuation of any deliveries being made to the woman.  
  
He pondered to himself clutching the envelope even tighter in his hands. "Who is this who writes you, Master Hamma, hmm? Who might this Felix be?" He uttered the name in a tone that sounded as if he could be saying 'pond scum.' He chewed his bottom lip as his smiled faded into an annoyed frown.  
  
"Felix, who are you? Where do you come from? You have no mention of it in the letter, so Hamma must know you and where you live.  
  
"Hamma, you fool! You will not spoil my plans and when I get you right into the middle of my trap you will tell me who else posses a threat to me and I will do anything to hear you utter those words. I will have that power! It will be mine and no one will stop me. I'll kill them before they even know who I am or what I'm planning.  
  
"But I worry about someone. A Jupiter adept warned me once that a man, oh what was his name? Alex? Yes, that was it. The adept warned me that this Alex could help me or hinder me. The fool couldn't tell me any more so I rid the world of his stupidity."  
  
He chuckled to himself but ceased when he heard a creak on the floorboard just outside his door. He listened carefully.  
  
"Who's there?" he demanded in a low voice, but not a whisper. "Answer me!"  
  
There was no further sound and no answer.  
  
He lye down slowly in his bed and quieted himself for the night. But his insane mind continued to plot and plan out his will as he fell into a slumber. He would get what he wanted, he always did. Nothing would stop him. He feared this Felix was a threat. He would have to kill him as well. 


	3. Chapter III: Suspicions

Author's Note: All questions asked by Great Saiyaman formally known as Critic will be answered in due time. You have to wait patiently and continue reading. But, however, if you (great saiyaman) would like to know anything that will not in any way spoil the plot, e-mail me and ask. I'd like to get in touch with you anyway to discuss certain things concerning this fic. I've just been inspired, so I shall get on with the story so I do not lose my ideas and words.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Golden Sun.  
  
Golden Sun: The New Beginning  
  
Chapter III: Suspicions  
  
Steam rolled off of the hot brown liquid as it sloshed into the bottom of a fair sized cup. The same substance was poured into a second cup identical to the first. Both cups were lifted from their spots on the table and carried across the room. Upon reaching his destination the server of the liquid extended his hand to offer the second cup to his friend.  
  
"It's growing cold faster than usual," Felix said, handing Picard the other cup. "You won't be able to wear those clothes much longer."  
  
Picard received the cup gladly from where he stood in the doorway leaned against the frame with the large oak board swung wide open on its hinges and nodded. "Thank you," he said quietly, glancing down at his clothes, which consisted of short sleeves and pants. He turned his gaze outdoors and glanced up at the gray sky. He sighed and closed his eyes remaining that way for a moment, his head still upturned, then, turning his head back toward the Venus adept near him, he spoke.  
  
"It's going to snow. I can feel it," he said calmly.  
  
"Snow?" Felix asked doubtfully. He wondered if his friend, being a Mercury adept, could sense what the weather was going to be like. "Well, I just hope it waits until were finished with all of the construction."  
  
Picard nodded. "There's not that many things left to do. A few roofs and other small tasks," he said. "Nothing hard. You and a few others should be able to finish quickly."  
  
The two stood in silence for a while, neither saying a thing nor daring to break the shared quiet. To them both it was peaceful to remain quiet or just sit secluded from any sound. It was an easy way to clear your mind, and think things through without losing current thoughts because of distractions. So neither spoke for the longest time.  
  
"You sound doubtful," Picard finally spoke, breaking the silence.  
  
Felix glanced at him for a moment and then turned his gaze back the warm liquid in his cup. After taking a sip he shook his head. "I wouldn't be surprised if it did," he replied. "As cold as it is we could be in for a blizzard."  
  
"So you do believe me?" Picard inquired.  
  
Felix nodded. "Yes, of course. I have no reason to doubt you," he said. "I just have a lot on my mind."  
  
Picard stared back outside and seemed to be satisfied at that. He didn't appear to be curious and if he was he wasn't acting on his desire to know more. The Lemurian's respect for other's privacy was one of the many reasons Felix liked him as a friend so. It was as if he could sense when people didn't want to expose a lot, and if they wanted him to know more they'd tell him more.  
  
Felix sighed. He found himself thinking about the conversation he'd had with Sheba two nights before and the strange creator he'd found near his house. It's looks still bothered him. It seemed to be pouring evil thoughts and intentions into his mind as it stared at him. Now that he thought about it, it didn't really appear to want to harm him, but acted as if it had come to fulfill a mission and had done so that very night.  
  
Shaking his head he dismissed the matter from his thoughts and moved on to the whole matter of Sheba's dream. If it was true, if Alex had lived, he wondered where he was now and what he would do next. He didn't really trust him to begin with and after finding out about what his true intentions were in the end he decided he was not to be trusted.  
  
"Sheba came to me the other night with complaints of a nightmare of sorts," Felix said quietly, deciding to discuss it.  
  
Picard turned his full attention to the young adept. "And?" he asked patiently.  
  
"She believes that Alex escaped just before Mt. Aleph sank completely," he replied. "She saw it in her dream. I wrote Hamma concerning in case it's a prophetic dream or vision of some sort."  
  
"Alex?" Picard exclaimed. He narrowed his eyes and stared back outside. His brow frowned as he considered a sudden thought – it was possible. If he had of survived like Sheba suspected then he would have enough power to—it would explain the sudden change in weather and drop in temperature. He sipped a couple of times from the cup he still held in his hand.  
  
"Is something wrong?" Felix asked, taking a step forward. He frowned when the man didn't respond. "Picard!"  
  
Picard, jerked from his thoughts, snapped his head around toward Felix. "What? Sorry," he said. He shook his head. "It's nothing, it's just—nothing," he replied. He frowned dropping his gaze to the floorboards.  
  
Felix frowned as well. He shifted his weight as he stood wondering what was on his friends mind. He stared at him for a moment before he too retired his glance to the floor. As his mind jumped from subject to subject he began to ponder the possibility that Alex was alive and had come back to haunt them. He frowned deeper at the thought. He didn't want Alex to be alive.  
  
It had been such a relief to them all, with the exception maybe of Mia, when the Wise One had told them of his death. But even his knowledge had a limit and he couldn't see the future or the past. So could it be possible for Alex to be alive? Could he be the cause of the change in the weather? He did have the power and strength now, if alive, to do so. Or maybe it was just an odd happening. Either way, he still wanted to keep his guard up.  
  
"You were going to say something else?" Picard asked, handing the conversation back to Felix for him to decide the direction of.  
  
Felix sighed. "Not really," he replied. "I sort of was waiting for your comments on the matter. But then your mind seemed to wonder at the mention of Alex's name."  
  
"Is it possible for her to be right?" Picard wondered aloud. His face was quizzical as he made his address to Felix. "If it is, he is powerful enough, then this change of weather—"  
  
"Could be caused by him. But why?" Felix finished. He frowned. "If he's alive Vale could be in danger along with Weyard."  
  
Picard nodded. "Why is a good question. But if he really wanted to seek revenge on us he could do a lot worse than this, I'd assume."  
  
"A blizzard might trap us in our homes, but it wouldn't kill us. We're too smart to freeze to death, he'd have to know that."  
  
"So Vale might be okay after all, and Weyard as well."  
  
"He could just be trying to confuse us. Vale doesn't get this sort of weather around this time of year."  
  
Picard sighed. "I don't understand what goes on in that small man's messed up, twisted head so I couldn't tell you," he said with a slight shake of his head.  
  
Felix gazed down into his cup. He stood silent for a while not moving, breathing slightly that it couldn't be noticed. Placing his cup down on a small table next to the door that held a candle, he walked past Picard and out doors.  
  
"I'm going to see Isaac," he said as he paused and turned around to explain. "I want to discuss this with him. He needs to know about this just in case."  
  
Picard retired his cup to the same table and stepped outside pulling the door shut behind him. "I'll come with you."  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Kraden watched as the first few snowflakes fell to the ground. He shivered as he moved across the room to throw another log on the fire. Then, raising his eyes to the small, temporary patch he'd placed hurriedly on the roof he sighed.  
  
"How I do hope I'll be able to get someone to fix that before a heavy snow comes," he said in a worried tone. "An old man such as myself shouldn't be climbing around on a roof patching things. And with this weather my joints are stiff."  
  
"I'd be glad to fix it for you," Kaiden, the interesting scholar from Tolbi who'd arrived a couple of days prier, said from his chair by the fire.  
  
"Oh, thank you," Kraden replied sitting across from the siblings in his easy chair. "You're very kind, but I can't let you. I'll fetch Isaac or Garet later today to do it."  
  
"Does it normally snow this early here?" Kitty asked as she placed her hand gently on the cold windowpane.  
  
"My dear child, of course not!" he exclaimed. "Vale isn't far enough north for it to snow at this particular time in the year. It's rather strange weather that's crept up on us if I do say so myself."  
  
"Sir, if I may," Kaiden said. "Maybe we could discuss a few matters other than the weather. I don't mean to be rude, but my sister and I wish to study Alchemy."  
  
"So you've said," Kraden replied. "It's not easy to trust someone who comes to Vale and asks about Alchemy after past experiences."  
  
"I understand," Kaiden replied. "But Iodem sent us. We mean no harm. If you don't wish to help us with our studies then we'll leave."  
  
"No, it's not that. I'm sure you're good people, but I wonder," Kraden said, pausing as he took a good long, hard stare at the two. "Why haven't you asked for help earlier? You've been here two days now, why not bring it up sooner?"  
  
"We were going to," Kitty replied. "But you had so many interesting things downstairs in your study room and so many books that we've not had a chance to read we sort of forgot about it."  
  
"Not really forgot, but dismissed until later," Kaiden added. His sister nodded in agreement  
  
Kraden sat thoughtfully for a while in the comforts of his cushy easy chair and warm house. As he sat deep in his thoughts the wind whipped snow around outside and howled as it angrily beat on the windows in attempt to get in. After what seemed like a very long time, Kraden stirred slightly in his chair as he changed positions.  
  
"I don't see the harm in helping you study Alchemy," he replied. "Though the last time I got the bright idea to do so I ended up going all over Weyard. Quite an interesting adventure if I might add, but back to the subject."  
  
Standing he crossed the room to a table where several charts, maps, books, sketches and statistics lay strewn out on the top of it. Sifting through he looked as though he was casually looking them over for lack of something else to do, but after a few more minutes of crinkling papers around it was clear he was searching for something.  
  
"Iodem sent you here, you say," he thought allowed to himself. "He wants to know why Babi was so interested in the power of Alchemy. That can be answered simply by one sentence, children. You do not need to study the power itself to obtain it, all you need is my knowledge of the matter."  
  
Pausing what he was doing, the old scholar looked back at the two with a strange glimmer in the corner of his eye, one of suspicion. Glancing at the document he now held in his hand he turned toward them and stood skimming over the paper.  
  
"Now, Kaiden, am I correct in assuming that you and your sister are here for more than just the answer that Iodem seeks, or is Iodem himself wanting more than you've revealed to me or have chosen to tell me?" he asked, curiously watching their expressions.  
  
The two siblings exchanged worried looks, glances that could be found on guilty children who'd been caught in the act of something they weren't to do. Chewing his bottom lip, the eldest sibling threw his shameful glance to the floor at the old man's feet. His sister merely dropped her gaze to her hands, which were clinching her skirt rather nervously.  
  
"You're much more clever than I would have thought you to be. Most old men lose their wit and cleverness in their old age, but as I guessed, you aren't most old men," Kaiden replied choosing his words carefully. "My sister and I did come here for Iodem's request which is exactly what I've told you and that is his only request. The main reason we volunteered to come was because we too have a deep interest in the power of Alchemy."  
  
Kraden placed his hands, document and all, behind his back and stood, feet planted firmly on a large wooly rug he had laid on the floor in the center of the room. "Then I need a very good, believable reason as to why you wish to know so much about Vale's secret."  
  
Kitty sighed heavily. "Ever since I can remember, when Kaiden was even so young his head barely cam above your thigh, we were raised by our uncle. He took us in after our parents passed away," she explained.  
  
"Our uncle worked in the castle in Tolbi as a royal advisor sort of. If Babi needed a second opinion on one of his decisions he'd ask Iodem and then the two would go to our uncle for counseling," Kaiden continued. "Since our uncle was so close to Babi, he shared his interest in Alchemy. For the rest of our youthful years as young children he told us of the great power and old wives tales that told of some rumored abilities of it."  
  
"For years he taught us to be scholars and wished only one thing of it," Kitty said. "For us to know as much about Alchemy and record it. So naturally, when Iodem said he wanted someone to come here, the place where the great scholar Kraden who studied Alchemy lived, we jumped at the chance."  
  
Kraden surveyed each one of the two's eyes trying to determine if they were telling the truth. The story was believable enough, but it was still hard to trust them knowing their soul purpose for coming was to know all they could about Alchemy. To obtain such knowledge would give them enough understanding to claim the great power for themselves, and that power could cause much damage if it fell into the wrong hands.  
  
Kraden shook his head. "I'm sorry," he said. "I believe your story but I can't trust you. I hope you'll forgive me, but perhaps I can keep your long travels from being ill spent." Stepping forward Kraden extended the hand with the paper in it toward the young boy. "Take this."  
  
Kaiden glanced at the paper being thrust into his face. Taking it, not sure what else to do, he turned it over so he could read it. "What is it?" he asked curiously skimming it over.  
  
"It's everything I recorded on our adventure concerning Babi and his reasons for his interest in Alchemy," Kraden replied, bending over to pick up a log. Tossing it in the fire he straightened himself and dusted his hands off. "The short version as to why he wanted it was because it would have kept him alive. He'd been drinking a special liquid that extended his years beyond that of the normal dieing age of a man. But his supply was not limitless and ran out of it resulting in his death. That document will explain all of it in more detail."  
  
Kitty peered over her brother's shoulder to look at the document. "So you won't help us to study Alchemy?"  
  
Kraden shook his head. "No, I can't find it in myself to trust you. I don't know you very well and I find it hard to trust queer strangers who waltz into Vale requesting I help them study Alchemy so they can record it in books and papers for everyone and anybody to read," he replied. He shook his head again in a more thoughtful, disappointed manner. "It would thrill me to be able to pass my knowledge onto such promising scholars as yourselves, but if the wrong person were to read any of what I helped you with—"  
  
"We understand," Kaiden replied, placing the document on a small table next to where he sat. "But would you mind if we were to stay a while longer and study other things with you?"  
  
"Yes! We could help with your projects downstairs, Kraden!" Kitty exclaimed. "We have a lot to learn about other things before we are anywhere near being promising scholars."  
  
Kraden chuckled to himself quietly. "There's no harm in that," he said. "Yes, you can stay a while longer." Then his expression grew serious. "But you mustn't touch anything that concerns Alchemy, understood?"  
  
The two nodded happily. "We'll respect your requests, my good sir!" Kaiden replied.  
  
Kraden smiled and chuckled almost mischievously. "Good, then you can start by helping an old man repair his roof."  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Tolbi bustled about as the many citizens carried on with their own business. They set up items to replace the things they'd sold in their stands, they loaded wagons with wheat and grain, flour, sugar, fabrics and other goods that were to be sent off to sell in another, smaller town that wasn't fortunate enough to be able to grow and make everything they needed. Other wagons and carriages entered the town bringing shipments of silk from Xian, and many other things from other places that carried only that item.  
  
Ladies', their children, men and their wives, all of them ran about on errands to buy the things they required for the day. Some had come to stock up on food for the week and fetch water from the well for their households and families. It was just another normal day, not as busy as it could be, but busy nonetheless.  
  
Iodem sighed as he watched the town of Tolbi from a high window in the castle. Since the death of Babi he had become the new ruler of the large city and was responsible for every single thing that happened, went on, or was to be. He was the king—and therefore had all the responsibilities, duties, and headaches of a king.  
  
He sat comfortably on the edge of the window seal with it thrust wide open. A cool, gentle breeze drifted in, passed across his face and into the stuffy room, only to escape through the other opened window on the opposite side of the room.  
  
Lifting his eyes from the hectic running, fetching, coming, and going of the town, Iodem felt a comfort for once in three months as his tired eyes settled on two birds frolicking in the bright blue sky. He smiled at the fact that there was not a cloud in the sky, which meant there would be no storms of any sort to spoil his mood. Today he felt happy for some strange reason. It hadn't been a busy day for him, though it clearly was for the townsfolk below. Instead of the usual papers and documents he had to sift through he was left alone today in his study to read any book of his choice. Nobody had bothered him once that day, no servant, peasent on business for the betterment of the citizens of Tolbi, ambassadors, maids, cooks, guards, captains of the guard, not even his own trusted advisor had even thought of knocking on the door to the room he was in—or at least not yet.  
  
Iodem sighed and the unthinkable idea of leaping out the window to end his endless headaches and tiresome days occurred to him when he heard a knock on the door. As he moved into the stuffy, humid room to stand behind his desk the thought didn't go far from his mind. Upon reaching his desk he realized for the first time that day it had been a little warm. Noting that it was so humid and hot indoors he half wondered why he'd not had a heat stroke yet.  
  
He sighed once more as the knock came again. A few minutes before this person had decided to bother him with unpleasant work and duty he'd started to remember what it was like to be forgotten as he had been occasionally by certain people when Babi was king.  
  
There was another knock on the door. This person, man or women, apparently was growing impatient as this time the knocking had come sooner than the time between the first and second time. But why shouldn't he make them wait? He always had to wait on them, wait on them to do what they did, to come when he summoned them, why couldn't they wait? He was king; he deserved to have someone wait on him, didn't he?  
  
As the knocking became a soft pounding Iodem realized they wouldn't go away until he answered. And the racket that was being made by the servants', guards', maid's, whoever it was fist on the other side of the door was making his head throb.  
  
"Yes! Come in!" he said finally, frustrated and annoyed. He kept his voice as calm as possible and managed to force a smile on his face as a rather pesky servant who had the talent of finding the smallest thing to bug 'his majesty' with poked his head in the door.  
  
"Your majesty," the servant said, he voice still in that annoying nasal, congested sounding tone he had. "The lady has arrived. She wishes to see you before she settles in for the night."  
  
Iodem raised his eyebrows. "Ah, yes, send her in, immediately!" he said.  
  
The servant bowed low and disappeared, leaving the door at a crack. Low voices came from the hallway and the door was opened wide and held that way. A slim, medium height girl stepped in around the age of seventeen. She wore a gray skirt, white blouse, and a purple vest, buttoned up with eight buttons each covered with fabric. Her brown boots came to her ankle, which was also slightly below the end of her skirt. Her brown hair was cut choppy at her shoulders and hung loosely, not held by anything, and was a little mussed, from a sudden wind one would assume. Her green eyes shinned and sparkled as a beam of light hit her face, clearly showing that she had slightly pale skin. It was apparent that she did not get out in the sun much.  
  
"Your highness," the girl said, stepping into the room and curtsying. "Forgive me for skipping the polite 'hello's' and 'how do you do's', but I was called away from my studies which were very important to me. I hope your majesty has a good reason for it?"  
  
Iodem chuckled. "Yes, yes, I have a very good reason," he replied, a smile on his face. "Won't you have a seat, child?"  
  
The girl shook her head. "No, your majesty, in warmer weather I find I prefer to stand. It's one of the strange habits of mine that set me apart from other ladies," she replied.  
  
"One of the reasons I enjoy your company," Iodem explained. "I find your occasional disrespect, rudeness, and strange behavior very refreshing from the usual mass of people."  
  
The girl smiled. "And I take it as a compliment that you see me as such, your highness," she said, curtsying again. "I thank you."  
  
"You are a smart young lady, am I correct?" Iodem asked. He fiddled with the wick of a candle on his desk. "You're clever, and witty, but I want to know exactly how much. Understand?"  
  
The girl nodded. "My mother always said I was as clever as a fox and cunning as one, too," she replied. "My father found my smart, stuck-up, snot-nosed attitude very un-ladylike and I got many of whippings for sassing elders and other high men of respect when they said something I knew was wrong." She smiled shyly. "It gets me into trouble, my stubbornness. But I make up for it with mind power, your majesty."  
  
"Just what I wanted to hear," Iodem smiled. "I have a special assignment for you. You'll have to leave all your studies and experiments though I'm afraid."  
  
"If its worth it I'd be more than willing to leave everything behind for your assignment, my lord, even my clothes," she said.  
  
Iodem smiled. "That won't be necessary. You'll be able to take as many personal belongings as you need or want," he replied. He stood a moment in thought and found a spot on his desk to stare at. "I have chosen you for this assignment because of your personality. I have a feeling you'll need your wit and stuck-up attitude to deal with some of the things and people you'll encounter."  
  
The girl knitted her brow. She made herself comfortable in a nearby chair, changing her mind to sit. "What kind of assignment are we speaking of, my lord?" she asked her curiosity peaked.  
  
Iodem stared at her for a moment before retiring to his chair behind his desk. "I'm sending you away to another town. This should be quite different from your other studies, I'm sure," he explained. "As you know, my advisor has a niece and nephew, siblings, who are both scholars. I have sent them to a town called Vale." He paused a while to study the curious look on the girl's face. "Have you heard of it?" he asked.  
  
The girl glanced to the side in thought. "I can't say I have," she replied. "The name doesn't seem familiar to me. I'm sorry, my lord."  
  
"Don't be," Iodem said, dismissing it with the wave of his hand. "Anyway, back to the point. I sent them there to find the reason behind Babi's interest in Alchemy. He never made it clear to me as to why he searched for it, and when he died it was one of the things about him that has haunted my thoughts and some of my dreams.  
  
"As I said before, I sent these two, knowing they were very promising in their career, to Vale to find out about it. There is a man there whose name is Kraden who more than likely knew of the many secrets of Alchemy."  
  
"Kraden?" the girl asked. "The great scholar who knows so much about Alchemy? I've heard so much from my grandfather, but I never imagined him to—I mean, he's almost a legend!"  
  
Iodem chuckled. "Yes, he is fairly popular," he commented. "But anyhow, that is of no matter. It's the siblings I have concern for. You see, I saw their uncle, my advisor, speaking with them just before they left Tolbi. Their uncle has a great fascination of Alchemy himself, and I worry that he might find out to much and tell too many people."  
  
"So what am I to do? These siblings I assume are Kaiden and Kitty. The three of us have never gotten along very well, we're practically rivals and would kill each other if we had such evil running in our veins," the girl exclaimed. She shook her head, her brown hair swooshing in her face. "I don't see what I could do, or how I could help."  
  
Iodem sighed. "You're not helping anyone!" he groaned, a little flustered. "You're to watch the siblings. You are they're rival, that is why I send you. You're going as a spy; you're capable of making excuses if someone questions you. I trust you, and you are loyal to me, so you seem perfect to send. Will you do it?"  
  
The girl sat in thought. A smile spread across her face and she stood. "I have only one question," she said, a twinkle in her eye.  
  
"What is that, child?" Iodem inquired, standing as well.  
  
"When do I leave?"  
  
Iodem smiled. "Tomorrow. That is enough time to get your things ready," he replied. "You may go now."  
  
The girl curtsied and turned to leave the room. As she stepped out the door, she was stopped by Iodem's voice.  
  
"Felicia," he said, stepping forward out from behind his desk.  
  
She paused and turned around. "Yes, my lord?" she asked.  
  
"See if you can't find an Isaac or Felix while you're in Vale," Iodem instructed.  
  
Felicia cocked an eyebrow. "My lord?"  
  
A fond smile spread across his lips. "Friends. Tell them hello for me, and thank you. They'll know what for."  
  
"Yes, your highness," Felicia replied. She gave a quick bow and closed the door behind her. Iodem listened carefully to her retreating footsteps. He turned his gaze toward the window. Now that he thought about it, he owed his life to those to boys. All of Weyard did, for that matter.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Mia watched quietly from the foot of the stairs as Isaac sat by the fire reading contently. She frowned as she continued to watch him. He looked so interested in whatever book it was he had come upon and she hated to disturb him. But with his parents gone visiting someone and Ivan upstairs occupied, it was the perfect time to tell him about her suspicion.  
  
Carefully, as not to make a noise, she tiptoed over to the table and sat down in an end chair farthest from him. For the longest time she sat staring at him not sure what she should say or how she'd get his attention. After a few minutes to think the words came to her. Taking a deep breath she released it.  
  
"Isaac?" She said, straightening her posture in attempt for her voice to carry farther.  
  
Isaac immediately looked up a slight bit of surprise on his face. When he noticed who had spoken to him he gave a kind, gentle smile.  
  
"Mia," he said, placing his book down. He stood from his spot on the hearth and took a few steps toward her. "Did you need something?"  
  
Mia glanced down at the table momentarily before she returned her gaze back to him and smiled herself. "Not really," she said. "Just to talk with you is all. I haven't had much time to spend with you. Might we do some 'catching up' so to say?"  
  
Isaac shrugged. "Sure," he said, leaning on the other end of the table.. "Its nice talking with you."  
  
Mia glanced down at the table. She hadn't gotten a chance to speak with him much over the past three months because both of them had been working so hard. Being in different parts of the town doing different things to help rebuild it gave them a rare opportunity to see each other much less speak to one another.  
  
Scowling Mia shook her head thoughtfully to herself. Since she hadn't gotten a chance to sit down and have a long conversation with him in a while she felt she should start out talking about other things, not wanting to force her worries and doubts off on him. After all, he'd worked really hard and he didn't need the burden that might be placed upon his shoulders by her news.  
  
Mia looked back up at him and smiled gently. "Anything," she replied quietly. "We haven't spoken in a long time. I thought since you're resting today I would take advantage of the situation and make some small talk for a while to pass the time."  
  
Isaac returned her smile with one of his own. He sighed in a content sort of way and straightened his back. Looking around the room he searched his mind for a random subject. For lack of something to say he searched desperately for an item in the room that might trigger a memory worth talking about.  
  
"Have you had a chance to talk to any of the others?" Mia asked, not sure what to do. The silence was beginning to make her edgy. It really wasn't necessary to leave the room so quiet especially when she had something she needed to talk about.  
  
Isaac nodded. "Garet and Jenna. I spoke to them both the other day," he replied. He quietly remembered the day before and smiled at the thought. "I briefly talked with Picard. He came by yesterday with Jenna on his way to return to working."  
  
Mia nodded in acknowledgement to his speaking. "I had a small conversation with Ivan the other night," she said. She toyed with the idea of going ahead and bringing up the subject she wished to discuss momentarily, but decided to wait a little longer.  
  
"What about?" Isaac inquired while holding back a yawn. He tried to remove the tired look from his eyes so he would appear interested and not bored, but couldn't shake the sleepy feeling that had overcome him.  
  
Mia bit her lip. Whether she had wanted to or not, she'd just opened up a way to discuss her suspicions with the blonde haired boy. Sighing almost guiltily she dropped her head in a shameful way.  
  
Isaac, the actions catching his attention, stepped closer and stared for a moment trying to tell what the matter was. Leaning forward he touched her gently on the shoulder to catch her attention.  
  
"Are you alright, Mia?" he asked.  
  
Mia nodded. "We talked about why I've been so quiet lately," she replied hushed. "I'm sorry I haven't been myself, Isaac. It's just—"  
  
Isaac scowled. "Just what?" he asked at her pause, tilting her head up with his hand.  
  
Mia felt tears form in her eyes. She knew not why she wished cry, but the burning tears threatened to roll down her flushed cheeks. She bit her bottom lip to keep it from quivering.  
  
Closing her eyes, Mia turned her head. "I don't feel well," she muttered.  
  
Feeling concern for his friend, Isaac placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. He glanced toward the stairs wondering if he should get Ivan to help him cheer the girl up, but decided against it. His brow frowned as he thought of a way to make the adept feel better.  
  
"Mia," he said softly. "How about we take a walk, just you and me together through Vale. The fresh air will do you some good and we can talk about the highlights of our adventure." He glanced out the window. "Besides," he said. "I'm about to fall asleep in this warm house. The cold will keep me awake and moving."  
  
Mia smiled. Isaac offered her his hand. "Come on," he encouraged. "What do you say?"  
  
Mia sighed, staring at his hand. The walk would be a good way to stretch her legs, and would give her an opportunity to be alone completely with Isaac without having to worry about someone walking up to them.  
  
Taking his hand she stood, nodding her head in agreement. She was helped on with her coat and gave a happy 'thank you' as Isaac held the door open for her. A burst of cold air hit her face as she stepped outside and she was surprised to see a light blanket of fluffy snow crunching under her feet as she walked upon it.  
  
"Odd," Isaac said as he closed the door behind him. "It only started snowing a little while ago. It sure has piled up awfully fast."  
  
Mia looked around at the un-finished town covered in a white merry snow. What was once an early fall scenery was now a winter wonderland of about six inches of snow and the individual flakes were still falling.  
  
Alex wasn't on her mind for once as Isaac stepped up beside of her. She took hold of his arm to keep her balance and the two walked off down the stairs in the direction of the Plaza. She tilted her head up slightly and let the snowflakes fall gently onto her eyelashes. A smile warmed her face as they fell off with a few quick bats of her eyes.  
  
Isaac watched as the Mia he knew came out for the first time in a long while. It made him feel better to know she wasn't quite so depressed. Something about her company was warming right down to his very soul. He couldn't put his finger on it, but he was sure there was some kind of feeling toward her deep in his heart that was special.  
  
"Isaac!"  
  
At first he hadn't quite heard it. But the second time his name was called he was quick to turn his head in the general direction it had been called from. As he looked over, he realized they were near one of the many cliffs in Vale, and saw a brown head coming up the stairs.  
  
"Felix?" Isaac questioned, blinking once slightly surprised. He hadn't remembered a time since the beginning of Vale's reconstruction that his childhood friend had spoken directly to him. He normally kept his conversations within his family and with the Lemurian who had stayed.  
  
Mia felt her face flush when she noticed Felix's glance go directly to her holding Isaac's arm. She shyly released the blonde and took a small step away from him, dropping her gaze to the snow covered ground.  
  
"Isaac," Felix breathed, panting to catch his breath. He glanced at Mia as if deciding on something then continued. "Could I talk with you?"  
  
Mia raised her head and noticed Picard had come up behind Felix. He now stood silently as if waiting to testify. She dismissed it and turned her attention to Isaac.  
  
"I need to tell you something first, Isaac," she said softly. She'd hoped it was quiet enough Felix hadn't heard, but hoped in vain as she received a look from the young man.  
  
Isaac turned to her. He had somewhat of an overwhelmed expression on his face as he gave his attention to Felix once again. He'd never had two people wanting to tell him something at the same time before. He didn't know exactly what to do.  
  
Felix took a step forward. "Isaac!" he said forcefully to ensure he had the younger boy's full attention. "I need to discus something Sheba told me with you. I have reason to believe it may be true."  
  
"What?" Isaac asked. "Is it concerning the strange weather we've had?"  
  
Mia's eyes widened slightly. She realized who had just been mentioned. Stepping forward she grasped the sleeve of Felix's shirt, tugging on it to get him to look at her. She clasped one hand to her chest and stared deep into his eyes like she were searching for an answer she'd long waited for.  
  
"Sheba?" she breathed, almost in a whisper. "Sheba had a dream, didn't she?"  
  
"H-how did you know?" Felix asked, shock ringing clearly in his voice. He stared at her a little bewildered.  
  
"She dreamed of Alex," Mia muttered. She shook her head. "Ivan told me she'd had a dream. That's how I know."  
  
Isaac stepped forward. He looked at Felix who had his eyes fixed on the girl. "Mia," he said, gently placing his hand on her shoulder. "What did you want to tell me?"  
  
Mia felt her stomach do a flip. A lump stuck in her throat as tears filled her eyes again. Her lip quivered and she trembled some, her head lowering.  
  
"Isaac," she whispered through gasp. "I tried to tell you before, but I was afraid you wouldn't believe me. I wanted to, its just I worried you'd—"she paused, her voice catching in her throat. "I'm sorry."  
  
Felix narrowed his eyes. He stepped up beside the young lady and gently turned her toward him. Placing both hands on her shoulders he spoke.  
  
"Mia, in Sheba's dream she saw the mountain when it sank," he said calmly. "She has a reason to believe Alex is alive—is that what's bothering you? Do you believe that as well?"  
  
Isaac's eyes widened. "Wait, Alex? Alive?" he questioned. "Mia, is this true? Is that what's been bothering you—why you've not been yourself?"  
  
Mia dropped her gaze and nodded. "I have a feeling, yes," she replied. "I pondered it many a night. I kept telling myself it wasn't possible, but the more I did the more I doubted. My stomach is in knots anymore over the matter." She paused and looked up at Felix. Her eyes sparkled as tears filled them.  
  
"I know him, and it just doesn't make since to me that he'd die so easily," she said. "If there was a way for him to get off of that mountain, he'd find one. Don't you see? He's not dead, he can't be!"  
  
Felix retired his arms down to his side. He scowled as the idea was presented to him once again by the very girl who'd known the man much longer than himself. Picard's musing and reasoning made a little more since to him now and he found himself also believing Alex was alive.  
  
Isaac sighed. He'd wished he could know a little more than he did. All he pretty much had gotten was Sheba's dream, Mia's belief, and Felix had something to tell about it. But he didn't really care. All he did care about was finding out the truth: was Alex alive or not?  
  
Mia felt a tear slip down her head. She quickly dropped her head and walked over to the cliff's edge to hide her emotions better. As she stared down its high height she hugged herself in attempt at hiding her shaking as a sob escaped.  
  
Picard stepped forward to make his presence known if he had not already been noticed. "Isaac, if he is alive, he'd have enough power to create a small snow storm or blizzard. He was already very powerful, and now he has the power of Alchemy added to that," he explained.  
  
Isaac shook his head. It was all still setting it and all very hard to believe. "But why would he cause it to snow? Here, in Vale of all places?" he demanded.  
  
"To let us know he's alive or tell us something?" Picard suggested. "He might be attempting to keep us from interfering with his plans by covering Vale in a large pile of snow."  
  
"It makes enough since," Felix said. "We didn't really mess up his plan last time, if anything we helped him. But this time around he might consider us as a small threat. Thought with the strength he would have it doesn't seem reasonable for him to notice us as such."  
  
Mia shut her eyes tightly and shook her head. "No!" she said, whirling around. "You still speak as if he's dead! I know for a fact he's alive! I'd swear it, I bet my life upon it that he lives!" she shouted.  
  
She glanced between the three, now staring at her a little surprised. She shook her head again. "He's alive," she whispered. "I know he is, I feel it."  
  
"We still have not proof of it," Felix stated. He sighed and stood silent for a short while. Shaking his head he turned back to Isaac. "Until we see a sign that he is alive I don't think we need to worry. We probably should keep our guard up, just in case."  
  
Isaac nodded in agreement. "I'll tell Garet so he will know as well. It wouldn't hurt for everyone to know," he said. "You might consider telling—"  
  
Mia drew in a breath. She felt a sudden anger form inside of her. She didn't know why, but it was there and it was growing.  
  
Shutting her eyes she shook her head violently, placing her hands on either side of her head as if she were trying to close out any sound. "No, no, no!" she groaned, frustrated. "He is alive! Don't you believe me, Isaac?"  
  
Isaac scowled. "Mia," he said gently. "I believe you, but I need more to believe it myself."  
  
Mia let out an aggravated sighed of frustration. She spun back around on the heel of her boot to conceal her anger. As she did she slipped on a small patch of ice, which sent her forward. As she fell over the edge of the high cliff she felt someone, presumably Picard who had been closest to her, grasp at her hand—and miss.  
  
"Isaac!" she screamed as she dropped over the edge. She felt wind rushing through her hair and rippling her clothes as the plummeted, and expected to hit the bottom very soon.  
  
Isaac rushed forward to the edge. "Mia!" she called, fear in his voice. Felix came up behind him and the two Venus adepts joined Picard in peering over the cliff. They all looked for Mia's crippled or possibly dead body lying at the bottom but saw nothing.  
  
Isaac narrowed his brow in confusion. "Mia?" he asked. He looked to Felix and then Picard, both of which showed the same amount of confusion.  
  
Felix found himself dumbfounded for a moment. He snapped to after a few more seconds of staring. "Where'd she go?" he asked. 


	4. Chapter IV: Uninvited guest

Author's Note: I'm not sure what to do in this chapter. I'm kind of short of things to write at this point in the story, but only on this particular chapter. I know where I want it to go, and after I pass this part I'll be able to write it down easier. But I'm not sure I have enough ideas to fill this chapter. I'll have to see what I can do.

Disclaimer: I do not own Golden Sun or any of the characters.

Golden Sun: The New Beginning

Chapter IV: Uninvited guest

His pace was fast. He walked slightly hunched as if cowering from something or trying to get away from someone. He took light steps and his stride was wide. He checked over his shoulder countless times as he darted around from shadow to shadow. He ducked behind an armoire and stood with his back pressed against the wall. He breathed in a deep breath as a guard passed, unnoticing of his presence. He waited momentarily for the guard to round the corner and then made a mad dash for his bedroom door. Opening it he rushed in and slammed it tightly, locking it. Now inside the safety of those four walls he could relax a bit more.

Leaning against the door he paused in thought as he glanced around the room. It was as he'd left it, and the drapes were still drawn. He was beginning to feel nervous and found he was on edge ever since that night he had heard someone outside his door. He suspected everybody who gave him a funny look, or eyed him accusingly as they passed by. He had to be careful, if he were caught, he'd never get the power that he sought.

Sighing deeply he walked over to stand in front of his bed. "Where?" he asked himself as he paced back and forth. "Where did he send her? Where did she go? I know she was leaving, but she wouldn't say to where. What a nasty little plot, your highness, such a devious one indeed. You can't trust someone so you send another whom you do trust after them. Very curious you'd choose her of all the others who would willingly go. Very odd, and curious indeed."

He stopped pacing and glanced around again. He stared at the door for a while and listened to the footsteps of a guard passing. After he was sure the guard was far enough away he resumed his pacing.

"She mentioned them, the siblings. When I asked her she acted as if I were interrogating her. Such an arrogant, sniveling little witch she is," he snarled, keeping his voice hushed. "The siblings though, he doesn't trust them. He doesn't trust—"He trailed off in thought as he fiddled with the letter addressed to Hamma in his pocket. He shook his head. "That won't do, that won't do at all! What a terrible blunder I have made. It won't work she wouldn't fall for it.

"Hamma must have foreseen this to happen. But this Felix boy knows nothing of it. I must make a correction. She might come out of her haven, if I lure her, she might leave her temple—yes it could work! Then once she's out, I'll kill her before she can tell anyone of me. But she'll be missed. She has family. A brother I think. He'll miss her. I'll have to deal with him. Where is he, though? Where has he gone?

"If I make another mistake I could be discovered. No, I can't have that. I have to do this right the first time. How do I deal with her brother? Surely if he writes to her and she does no respond he will come looking for her. And then he will find me. He'll know. So how do I deal with him? He is another problem. I have to many!"

He cursed. Grabbing a vase he threw it, sending it sailing through the air into a wall, breaking upon contact. He calmed himself starring at the broken pieces of the vase. His brow frowned and he narrowed his eyes.

"How do you lure a mouse that will snitch on you from its hole?" he asked himself. "With bate. But what does a mouse like, hmm? Cheese, eh, and I know what two kinds of cheese to get, yes." He chuckled to himself in a wicked way. "Maybe I can get three kinds of cheese, yes? But first I must find where these cheeses are. But I must be careful, that I must."

He turned suddenly on his heel to face the door. He stared long and hard at if for a while and narrowed his eyes a bit. He smiled wickedly and marched forward, stopping at the door.

"I must find the answers to my questions," he stated. "There are too many questions that I need answered. I shall have to find the answers for myself, but where? Where can I find them Hamma? Do you know?" He chewed his bottom lip. "Of course you do." Smiling again he jerked his door open and walked out, slamming it shut behind him. He had some searching to do, and a little visit to make.

* * *

A shiver ran up Garets spin. He plodded through the snow, hugging his coat closer to his body. He silently cursed the snow, wondering why there was such peculiar weather as of lately.

Garet descended the stairs to Jenna's house. He paused briefly and stared at the windows filled with dancing light. He glimpsed a cozy fire inside and the young girl of the family sitting by it with knitting needles in hand, working away on a pair of socks. He smiled at the sight. He thought Jenna seemed to glow as the fire teasingly danced off of her back.

Shaking his head he brought himself back to reality. He hurried around to the front of the house and rapped on the door with his hand. A cold, bitter gust of wind blew straight through him. He felt like a frozen ice cycle.

The door opened and a burst of warm air hit his face, causing his eyes to water slightly. He blinked several times to clear his blurry vision caused by his watery eyes. When he could see again, he was greeted by a warm smile from a small, blonde haired young Jupiter adept.

"Hi, Garet!" Sheba said. She stepped to the side of the door. "Come in!"

Garet happily obliged and quickly stepped into the warm home. When the door was shut behind him, cutting off the cold air, he felt his whole body begin to tingle as it warmed up.

Sheba stepped around from behind him. He smiled down at her and she returned the smile. "Can I take your coat?" she asked sweetly.

"Garet!"

The tall fire adept turned at the sound of his name. Jenna had stood from her spot by the fire and was starring at him in an awkward way. She laid down her knitting and smoothed out her skirt. She smiled at him shyly if not in a little bit of an embarrassed way.

"Wh-what are you doing here?" she asked, folding her hands neatly behind her.

Garet slipped his coat off of his shoulders and handed it to Sheba. "I felt cooped up in the house and took a walk," he replied. "I thought I'd stop by and say hello to you and Felix before I went back." He glanced around the room. "I haven't seen Felix for a while. Where is he?"

Jenna shrugged. "He left earlier, but I don't know where to," she replied. She took a step forward and motioned to the hearth. "Please, come on in. You can sit here and warm up." She offered.

Garet wasn't sure how to react to Jenna being so kind a sweet toward him. Normally she was cranky and a bit grouch around him and always made jokes about how he wasn't very bright. He wasn't exactly used to a kind and caring Jenna, though he liked it a lot better.

Garet stamped the snow from his boots and walked over to the fireplace. He didn't sit down until Jenna had taken her seat in front of the fire again.

He sat as close as he could get to the fire without getting burned or caught on fire. He still felt a little chilly and his face was flushed from being out in the cold.

Sheba came over and handed Garet a cup of hot tea. He gladly accepted it, whispering a small 'thank you' as she sat down in the floor before the two fire adepts.

"Where are you're parents?" Garet asked, noting the two girls were the only ones in the house other than him.

"They went to the plaza to get some things," Jenna replied, picking her knitting up again. "They'll be gone a while longer."

Garet watched her make a few stitches. "And Felix left?"

Jenna nodded. "Picard went with him," Sheba stated, from where she sat in the floor. She was carving a figure in a block of wood with a knife.

Garet made a motion asking if he could see her work. She stood and stood beside of him while he looked at the half carved block. "And you don't know where they went? Isn't that a little strange?" Garet asked.

Jenna shrugged. "I guess. Nobody was really around when they left. Sheba and I had been out visiting my grandparents," she replied. "When we got back they were gone."

Garet slide over giving Sheba a spot to sit next to him. He then gave her carving back.

"How's your family?" Jenna asked after a few moments of silence.

"Fine," he replied. He watched Sheba as he began to carve on the piece of wood again. "And I assume yours is good?"

Jenna nodded. "Good health and everything."

Sheba glanced at the two. She felt tension between them and had to hold back a giggled. It was obvious the feelings they shared for each other, but they never seemed to notice how the other felt, which made for great entertainment.

The room was silent accept for the cracking and popping of the fire behind them. The snow fell silently and gently outside at a steady rate. The wind howled out side, but the house protected them from its bitter chill. Every so often Jenna's knitting needles would click together as she quickly worked them, churning out stitches like one would churn butter.

"So," Sheba said, deciding to break the silence. "Does anyone know how Isaac and the others are doing?"

"I saw him yesterday," Jenna replied. She glanced at Garet. "He was working with you on the sanctum."

Garet nodded. "Yeah, he's fine. Mia came around later after you'd left, Jenna," he replied. "She's been acting a little strange, like she's ill, but she's fine physically."

"Acting a little strange?" Jenna questioned. She let her knitting rest in her lap. "How so?"

"She's not been herself," Garet replied. He shrugged. "I don't know, really. She's quiet and doesn't participate in much anymore. Isaac says she just sits around writing letters to her grandparents in Imil most of the time."

"That sounds odd. Is she okay?" Jenna asked.

"I just said she was," Garet replied. He took a sip of his tea.

Jenna scowled. "No, I mean emotionally!" she snapped.

Garet shrugged. "I guess she is," he replied. "I haven't had time to talk to her lately. You'd have to ask Isaac or Ivan. They're around her a lot more than me."

Jenna stared at the floor for a moment as if in thought. She picked her knitting up and set to work on it once again.

Sheba sighed. She set down her knife and wood block and leaned back, propping herself up on her hands.

The room remained quiet. Garet finished his tea and stood. "I should go," he said. "My family will be waiting for me."

Jenna paused her knitting. She looked disappointed. "Oh, well okay," she said. She stood and walked over to the door with him. Sheba followed and opened the door.

"I'll see you later," Garet said, pulling his coat on. He fastened it up the front and stepped outside.

Jenna forced a smile. Sheba kept herself from giggling. "Yeah, tell your family I said hello," Jenna said.

Garet smiled. He looked as if he was about to say something when a distant scream caught his attention. The scream echoed out over the house very faintly.

"What was that?" Jenna asked, stepping half way out the door. She turned in the direction the scream had come from.

Garet frowned. "I don't know. It kind of sounded like Mia, but I'm not sure," he replied. "I'm going to go check it out."

"I'll come with you!" Jenna said. She stepped inside and grabbed her coat. "Sheba, stay here and tell my parents I went out if they get back before I do." Sheba nodded.

Jenna quickly put her coat on and stepped out the door, pulling it shut behind her. She and Garet jogged off toward where the scream had been heard.

* * *

Mia felt wind rushing through her hair and rippling her clothes as she plummeted to the ground. She expected to hit the bottom very soon. She closed her eyes and squeezed them tightly to prevent herself from seeing any more of her approaching doom.

The very next moment, instead of the wiz of air passing her as gravity pulled her in, all she heard was her heavy breathing. Her heart was beating rapidly and there was a steady heart beat of another. Confused and curious she cracked her eyes. She was standing on solid ground, dazed, but unharmed!

As her racing mind calmed and she came out of the daze, she became aware of her surroundings. She had clothing—a shirt—clenched in her tightened fists. She opened her eyes further and could see the color of the fabric she was clutching. It was a soft blue, similar to the color of her dress. A comforting arm was wrapped around her, supporting her body against someone else's body, a man's body. Her face was buried into his shoulder in fear as she clung to him tightly. The manner in which he had his arms around her made her feel safe and secure.

Mia blinked in confusion. She tried desperately to take it all in. She didn't recall anyone catching her—as a matter of fact, no one had! She would have felt the jolt of dropping into their arms. She'd been falling toward her death one second and the next she was standing safely on the ground, held closely and securely against her rescuer's warm body. But how was that possible?

Mia couldn't think straight. Her head was spinning as the shock of it all still lingered over her. Finally she got enough wits about her to ask herself the question that was most important at the moment. Who'd saved her?

She started to lift her head off of the man's shoulder, but her head was still spinning. Gently, she set it back down. She took in a deep breath; his scent was so familiar. She knew this smell, but couldn't place where. Slowly, she lifted her head. Pushing back on the man so he'd know he no longer had to hold her up on her feet, she took a step back. She lifted her eyes to meet his gaze. Her face paled as if she'd seen a ghost and her eyes widened in shock and fear.

Backing away frantically she shoved the man away, shaking her head violently. Her jaw quivered as she attempted to speak. "No!" she managed to force out, as if horrified. Her gaze did not waver from him, as her eyes remained widened.

She backed away so fast she tripped over her own feet and fell back on her rear. "You can't be!" she shouted as if the jolt from hitting the ground forced it out of her.

Isaac was the first of the three that stood staring over the cliff to move. He dashed down the stairs leading to the platform below them followed soon after by Felix and then Picard. He stood where Mia's crippled body should have been lying, starring down at the snow in confusion.

"Where is she?" he demanded, turning his gaze to the high cliff now above them. He turned to Felix as he slowly approached him. "Where!"

Felix continued to stare up at the cliff that they'd just come from. For a moment he didn't reply. Then, giving his attention to his childhood friend he calmly shrugged. "I don't know," he replied, confusion clearly ringing in his voice.

Picard surveyed the surrounding area. There was no way she could just disappear unless she had learned to teleport like Alex had. But then, she herself had said she couldn't.

Picard shrugged when he got a questioning glance from Felix. Isaac looked pale from worry, yet his cheeks were flushed from running down all those stairs.

Isaac looked up at the cliff once again. Even from below it looked steep. He turned to Felix, breathing heavily. He was out of breath after running. "How are you so calm?" he half shouted. He panicked. "Where did she go?"

"Isaac!" Felix said firmly to catch the blonde haired boy's attention. "Calm down, we'll find her."

Isaac didn't look convinced. Felix was about to say something more when Picard lightly smacked his arm with the back of his hand to get his attention. He followed the Lemurian's gaze to the other side of the river where a very shocked and frightened Mia was sitting stunned in the snow starring straight ahead.

"Isaac, look!" Felix said, motioning across the river.

Isaac turned around to see Mia. He was immediately relieved to see her again. Then realized, "What is she looking at?" he asked. He moved his gaze over to see what her eyes were fixed upon, but there was a row of snow covered pine trees blocking whatever, or whomever, it was.

Mia shook her head, bringing her knees to her chest she covered her face with her cupped hands. "You're dead!" she said, confusion in her voice. "You're not really here! You can't be!"

"Mia, my dear," Alex said, stepping forward once. He looked around as if searching for an answer. "Unless you are seeing a ghost, then I am alive."

Mia looked up at him, tears of frustration streaming down her face. "It can't be you," she muttered, her voice shaky.

Alex shrugged his shoulders. "Then who else is it? If I am not myself, who am I?" he questioned, stepping forward slowly.

"I don't know," she said. She shook her head. "Yes. Yes, I do. You're—"she paused, her voice sticking in her throat. She lowered her gaze to the snow covered ground. "Alex."

Alex stood beside of her gazing down at the top of her head. He stooped next to her, catching her gaze with his own. "Yes?" he said in response to his name.

Mia blinked back tears. She felt the betrayal she had felt the first time she learned of his intentions to light the lighthouses so long ago. Anger burned inside of her mixed with her feelings of confusion and the fear she had of his great power which he had obtained. She narrowed her eyes, her hands forming into fists as she clenched the fabric of her skirt tightly in each hand. Slowly she shook her head. Why had she been sad when she thought he was dead? Now that she saw him she felt nothing but anger and betrayal. Calming herself she searched for the words to say.

"How?" she asked. "Where? And why?"

Alex sighed. He knew the rest of those questions, and the answers she sought for them. "I am alive because I escaped the sinking mountain," he simply replied to her first question. "I have been somewhere thinking and gaining my strength back." He answered her second question. He stood and offered his hand to help Mia to her feet.

Mia angrily shoved his hand to the side. She pushed herself up from the ground and straitened herself out, dusting the wet snow from her backside. Alex observed her a brief moment before withdrawing his hand and returning it to his side.

"As for 'why' I'm here," he said, brushing off some freshly fallen snow that had gathered on his shoulders, "I will keep that to myself for now."

"What do you want?" Mia asked. She looked around trying to see where at in Vale they were now, if they were even still in Vale. She recognized the river and the nearby cliff, which matched the one she had fallen from.

"Forgiveness?" he answered, almost sarcastically. If it had been anyone else, Mia would have thought he were serious. But this was Alex, and she didn't see any reason he'd want forgiveness, nor did she see any way she'd give it to him.

"What?" she asked. She felt very alone. Looking around for anyone to help her she found none. Where could Isaac be? "What do you really want?"

Alex placed his hand to his heart making a mock gesture of being hurt. "Mia, you wound me," he said, all seriousness seeming to drain from his voice. "Do you truly believe I am completely incapable of any emotion or of having even the slightest bit of a conscience?"

Mia glanced to the side still searching to be relieved of being alone with this man. She pondered the question to make sure she understood it correctly. Turning her blue eyes back to him her face hardened. "Yes," she replied bluntly. "Now what do you want?"

Alex shrugged as if he'd realized faking innocents wasn't going to get him anywhere. His face didn't change and he didn't appear to care that he was thought of as such a horrible person. "I want nothing," he said, walking around Mia. Standing behind her he leaned over her shoulder. "Do you believe that?"

Mia stepped away and whirled around to face him again. "No, I don't believe it," she spat. "I can't believe anything you say. I can't trust you."

"Whether you believe it or not, its true," Alex said. He stepped forward, causing Mia to step back as if he were a force repelling another force. "I don't want anything from you or your friends. And I don't need anything from anybody."

Mia narrowed her eyes, turning her head slightly to the side as she looked at him. "Then why are you here?" she wondered, deciding to try and believe him for now.

Alex shrugged as if he didn't know, turning away to the side to gaze across the river. He remained quiet, the water running past and the wind blowing through the town being the only sounds heard. Mia grew impatient and uneasier as the seconds sped by. She was about to speak again when a very familiar and welcomed voice called out behind Alex.

"Mia!" Isaac called, coming to a halt a few feet from the young Mercury adept. His eyes immediately fell on Alex. He was shocked to see him alive, but not surprised because of the conversation he'd had before Mia fell.

"Alex," Felix growled, speaking his name as if he were saying something fowl or detestable. He was shocked, but refused to show it in his actions, words or expressions.

"Ah, greetings, Felix," Alex said, turning to face the young adept. He looked from Isaac to Picard before settling his gaze back on Felix. "I see you brought some friends along."

"What are you doing here?" Isaac demanded. He stared past the blue hair man to Mia.

Alex followed his gaze back over his shoulder. He turned and smiled at Mia. Turning, suddenly, back around so he was once again facing the three young men, he settled his gaze upon Isaac. "I am here for my own reasons, though I dislike having to return to such an annoying whole-in-the-wall as this town," he replied. He stepped forward, paced to the left and back again, stopping where he had started.

Mia looked helpless as she stared at Isaac. Her eyes seemed to plead to be separated from her friends no longer. She looked as if she wanted to run the other direction and flee from the sight of Alex. Isaac frowned, giving her a sympathetic look.

"Why are you here?" Felix questioned, not moving his eyes from the Mercury adept. He tilted his head very slightly to the side, watching as Alex eyed the ground expressionlessly.

"I told you," Alex replied.

"That's not a good enough answer," Felix muttered. "Now tell us what you want."

Alex shook his head. "Tsk, tsk, Felix," he playfully scolded as if playing a game. Turning back to Mia he threw his hands up to his sides, palms facing skyward, as if asking 'why'. "Every one of you thinks I want something."

Mia scowled. "You wanted something before, you—"A voice shouted out, interrupting her sentence before she could finish.

"Mia?" Garet's worried voice came. Mia turned round to see, along with the other four present; at the staircase behind her a head of read hair appeared at the top of the stairs followed by a head of brown hair.

"Jenna," Felix said, seeing his sister jog up the stairs and stop, standing several feet away. His eyes moved over to Garet who glared untrustingly past Mia at Alex as he stood protectively by Jenna. He narrowed his eyes. "And Garet."

Garet moved his eyes from Alex over to Mia and then across to Isaac and Felix. "What's going on?" he asked, looking at Mia again. "I heard you scream, are you alright?" Mia nodded.

"What's _he _doing here? He's dead!" Jenna exclaimed, pointing her finger at Alex. She grabbed Garet's arm and clung to it as she did to her father instinctively when she felt threatened and was asking to be protected.

"He escaped!" Mia cried, a slight whimper in her voice. She swallowed and began to wring her hands. "From Mount Aleph."

Garet gave the 'intruder' a death glare. "What do you want!" he demanded harshly. He stepped forward and extended his hand to Mia, silently instructing her to move toward him. She rushed to his other side and stepped behind him, using him as a shield from Alex's gaze.

Alex sighed. "Want?" he turned to Garet. "You are not very kind to you're guests. If you keep accusing people of things you're little town won't get anymore visitors."

"You weren't invited," Garet growled, straitening his back. "Nor are you welcome. So you're not a 'guest'."

Felix glared at the back of Alex's head. "Stop procrastinating and tell us what you want here, Alex," he ordered.

"I tell every one of you I don't want anything and yet you still insist that I do," Alex said to himself, thoughtfully looking at the ground. He stayed motionless for a moment, staring blankly at the snow. After a while he turned away from Mia back to Felix. "I don't want anything. I have come to warn you," he stated plainly.

"Warn us?" Isaac repeated. "Warn us of what?"

"The approaching danger," Alex answered.

"Danger?" Picard question skeptically, speaking for the first time since he'd arrived..

"Yes, there is a danger," Alex replied. Waving his hand as if to dismiss something he added, "You know, the danger that threatens to destroy Weyard with the power of Alchemy. That one?" He paused, glancing skyward as if to think if what he had just said was correct. "Yes. That one," he said. "Nothing special. The same old thing as before, just slightly different."

"You've gone mad!" Garet exclaimed. Alex turned with an expression of ignorance. Garet almost laughed. "You speak and act like a crazy man!"

Alex shook his head. "No, no, no," he said, waging his finger. "My actions and words may lead you to believe I have lost my mind, but I assure you," he paused, glancing at the red head and two young women beside him. He turned to Felix and the others. "What I tell you is true."

"You really have lost it!" Jenna gasped.

"He isn't crazy," Picard said, narrowing his eyes a bit. Everyone turned to the Lemurian with puzzled expressions, accept for Alex. "Yes, I agree, he acts as if he is crazy, and you would think he is insane if you'd just met him, but—"he paused.

"But what, Picard?" Jenna asked. "You can't possibly believe him!"

Picard nodded slowly. "Yes, I do," he answered. He nodded again, more energetically as if he were surer of himself. "I believe him. If he wanted something he would have claimed it already," he explained. "No, he is not insane. I don't know why, but I think what he says is truth."

"You should listen to the Lemurian," Alex said, crossing his arms across his breast. "He may be rash and have a short temper at times, but he is wiser then any one of you."

Felix eyed Picard questioningly. Picard exchanged a glance with him that spoke volumes explaining his belief, but the look exchanged said more than Felix needed to know. Sighing he turned his attention back to Alex. "I believe you," he said, reluctantly.

"What?" Garet exclaimed. "You can't believe him! He—he's evil! You can't trust him!"

Isaac glanced at Felix and Picard. "Garet," he said to catch his friend's attention. "Don't. I believe him as well."

"Ah, finally someone who has faith in me!" Alex chimed, clapping his hands together.

"I don't have faith in you," Felix snapped. "I merely believe what you are saying now." Isaac nodded his agreement.

Garet rolled his eyes skyward in unbelief. "This is insane," he muttered under his breath.

"Now tell us what this danger is," Isaac ordered.

Alex looked from Felix to Isaac. He turned his gaze to Picard and looked around at Garet and Mia. He looked thoughtful as he rested his gaze upon Jenna. Then with a smile he said, "No."

"What?" Jenna questioned, to confirm what he had said. She couldn't believe what he was saying!

Alex's smile widened. He moved his gaze over to Mia. "No!" he repeated. "No, I'm not going to."

"No?" Garet asked, disbelief in his voice. "No? How arrogant are you?" Mia caught his arm to gain his attention. When he looked at her she shook her head to quiet him.

Taking a step forward Mia addressed her fellow Imilian. "Alex, if you came here to warn us, why won't you tell us what the danger is?" she asked. Alex merely smiled wider in response.

Felix scowled. "Wait, you're up to something," he said, narrowing his eyes. He pointed his finger accusingly at the man when he turned to face him. "You know something, don't you? You know who poses this threat. You've found out haven't you?"

Alex slowly clapped his hands together. "Bravo, Felix, bravo," he said, continuing to clap. He stopped with his hands together. "You are smarter than I give you credit for."

"You know who it is? You know who is the cause of this danger?" Garet demanded. "You know and you won't tell us? Why?"

"I came to warn you," Alex replied. "To tell you there was a danger so you could discover it and stop it yourselves. I didn't come here to help you eliminate this threat or to help you find it."

"But you went to discover who poses the threat," Isaac said. "If you had no intention of telling us who it is, then why waste time doing so?"

"I didn't waste time. I wanted to know who this threat was," Alex explained.

"But why?" Jenna puzzled, narrowing her eyes in confusion at him.

"Because, I wanted to know so I could see how long it took you to figure it out," he replied, shrugging.

Mia stared at him with her mouth gaping open in shock. Jenna glared at him in the same manner. "Then you're not going to help us?" Picard asked.

"If I had had any intention of helping, you I could have easily killed this 'threat' myself and been done with it. If I had of helped you, then I wouldn't be here at all." Alex smirked. "No, I'm not going to help you."

Felix frowned, his brow knitted above his narrowed eye. "Why did you even come here in the first place?" he questioned, enraged by the man's behavior.

Alex looked him in the eye. "Because," he said, "I just did. That is all you need to know." He turned back to Mia. "I must bid you adieu, for I am finished here. I have some—"he paused, glancing around as if trying to find a replacement word for what he were really doing. "Business to attend to. Farewell."

Mia stepped forward. "Wait a minute!" she shouted, reaching out to grab him. Just as she reached him he teleported. Sighing she looked at Isaac. "Now do you believe me?" He gave her an apologetic look in reply.

Picard glanced to the sky as he realized snowflakes were no longer falling. The clouds had parted and the sun was shinning brightly and warmly overhead.

"I guess you were right about him controlling the weather," Felix said, glancing at the sky, shielding his eyes from the bright sun.

Picard shrugged. "I didn't want to be," he said.

"Who is the threat?" Garet asked, angrily folding his arms across his broad chest. He scowled up at the sky.

Isaac shook his head. "I don't know."

"What should we do now?" Jenna asked. She released Garet's arm and walked to her brother's side. "What do you think?"

Felix shook his head slightly. "I'm not sure. I guess we should tell the others about this," he suggested. Glancing up thoughtfully he added, "There's only Ivan and Sheba to tell, right?"

"I think it would be better if we waited until we found out more to tell the rest of Vale about this 'threat'," Picard explained. He crossed his arms thoughtfully. "It might be best."

Isaac sighed. "I guess so." He shrugged. "I will tell only Ivan."

"And we will only tell Sheba," Felix said. "At least until we can find a little more out about this. Someone should visit Master Hamma. She might have had a vision of some sort."

"I'd go, but Mom and Dad need me," Isaac stated.

Felix nodded. "Then I'll go," he said. "I sent a letter to her a few days ago. She has not responded, I want to know why."

"I'll go with you," Picard offered. They said their hasty good-byes and departed to their own houses. Mia felt a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach. She felt sick after what had just happened, and a little traumatized from falling off the cliff. Sighing she took a seat near the fire once in Isaac's home again. Dora and Kyle had returned so she and Isaac would have to wait until that night to tell Ivan.

Rubbing her hands together to help warm them she frowned at the flames in the hearth. What was going to happen now? How would they find this threat? Where had Alex gone? He said he had had business, which made her worry.

Isaac sat beside of her and smiled weakly. Many questions raced through his mind, none of which he alone could answer. Worry overtook him as he thought of this threat, but anger consumed him whenever he thought about Alex withholding valuable information from them. He cast his gaze into the fire as well, loosing himself in thought as he slowly recounted the events of the day in his head.

* * *

He paused briefly, glancing back over his shoulder. He turned acting as if he were admiring the flowers on a rose bush as a castle guard walked by behind him on a patrol duty. Once he passed he ducked into the shadow provided by a hedge and placed his back firmly against a tree trunk. He listened quietly to the footsteps of the guard as he passed by again. When the footfalls had faded away and could no longer be heard he continued on his way, hurriedly walking down the courtyard path, his cape flapping out behind me. He hid in any shadow he could find along the way.

A small pond sat to one corner of the courtyard. Tall hedges surrounded it and many flowers grew around inside that area. Lily pads sat in the center of the pond as cattails grew up around the edges of it.

He went to the edge of the water. Kneeling down beside of it he stuck his finger in it and swirled it around several times, whispering a summon under his breath. He heard a distant voice. His head snapped around and he glared furiously and cautiously at the empty air. He strained his ears and listened carefully. The voice was no longer heard.

Poking his finger barely below the surface of the water, he whispered the remainder of his summon. He lifted his hand and shook the water from it, waiting. He sat for a moment or two, growing impatient. Then, in the center of the pond, under water a small orb of energy appeared. It glowed letting off a teal and sky blue light. A beam shot up toward the sky and the orb floated to the surface of the water. It continued to rise until it was a few inches above the water. A wave of color shot out from it to the edges of the pond and a toad leapt out of the orb and splashed into the water.

He followed the toad with his eyes as it splashed into the pond. When he glanced back up the light and orb were gone. The toad swam to him and hopped out of the water, landing directly in the center of his palm. It flexed his jaw, opening it a ways. Thick saliva ran between its large, overlapping teeth, which protruded from its mouth, as if it were string dangled from one point to the other.

The man smiled wickedly as he stroked the toad on its slimy head. "What did you find?" he asked with the power of his mind.

The toad croaked a long, drawn out croak. "There is nothing of Alchemy there anymore," the toad replied through the shared telepathic link it had with its master. "It may have been there once before, but it no longer is there."

He scowled in anger. "Then where is it!" he demanded, speaking to the toad with is mind.

"I do not know," it replied, croaking again. "There are adepts, however, many of them. They are skilled and strong. I probed one with my mind."

He glared at the creature he held in his hand. "And what did you see?" he asked harshly.

The toad cowered. "I saw his thoughts, his memories. He is strong, like the others in the town. He calls himself—Felix."

A twisted grin lined his lips. He laughed quietly to himself. "So, Felix, eh?" he said out loud. "I have found you."

His expression sobered and he glanced over his shoulder once again, checking to make sure there was no one there. "Very good, my pet," he said, using the link again. "You have done well. Now depart from my prescience."

The toad croaked, its throat growling as it kept its jaws tightly closed. The orb appeared once again beside of it. It turned and leaped up into the air diving down into the energy ball. The orb then disappeared with a burst of light, which faded, into sparkles descending to the ground.

He stood, a smirk across his face. He had found this boy, Felix, who had written in his letter to Hamma about a Jupiter adept. His plan to kill Hamma wasn't working. She must have foreseen it. But maybe, just maybe if he could get to Felix before she could warn him he could use him to get to her, and possibly discover the secret of Alchemy. But how? How could he get to Felix?

He scowled back at the pond. He started back to his room where he could think more freely without having to sneak. He needed a plan, and a good one at that.


	5. Chapter V: Visions of the Past

Author's Note: I believe I've made a mistake. Hamma stayed in Contigo, didn't she? I believe I've said she was at the temple, haven't I? If I have, forgive me. I will fix it.

I'm hate that its taken so long to update. I've actually had this chapter finished for a few months now, but I was putting off proof reading it. I haven't written anything in such a long time, I just have to write! SoI decide to upload this (finally!) and start on the next chapter. I'm really sorry it took so long. I didn't proof read, so if there are typo's or spelling errors, or if it just doesn't make too much sense with the way I worded it, I'm really sorry. Hopefully I dealt with the characters that were neglected in the previous chapters. I hope you can enjoy reading it. I'm afraid its not as good as the first four though.

Disclaimer: I do not own Golden Sun or any of the characters.

Golden Sun: The New Beginning

Chapter V: Visions of the Past

Laughter filled the air as the smell of fresh ale and delicious dinners drifted around the room as they were passed about. Several men had 'over done' it and were receiving aid from their wives while others went on with merry singing, dancing, joking and laughing.

Vale was finally complete! The women had planned a celebration held at the inn in honor of the men who worked so hard to finish their town. And now the last nail had been hammered. Everybody was in a cheery mood and in such high spirits it was impossible to think their mood could be broken.

Isaac slumped into a chair at a table near the door. He laughed whole hardily to himself as he rested for a while, his cheeks flushed from all the moving about he'd been doing. His smile faded into a fond, content smirk as he watched his parents carry on across the room. Turning his head, he moved his gaze down to the floor, his smile fading away as he sighed. Despite all the fun he had been having that night, he couldn't keep his mind from wondering back to Alex. Mia seemed to have gotten over it rather quickly, but he couldn't keep his mind off of the matter, especially since Felix and Picard had departed a few days prior to the celebration. Questions kept running through his head. What was Alex up to? What was he planning? What were his intentions, and should they trust him or not?

A gentle hand on his shoulder pulled him from his thoughts. He glanced back behind him to see the kind, smiling face of Jenna.

"Mind if I join you?" she asked. Isaac nodded and watched as she moved around his chair to sit across the from him. Once seated her smile widened and she giggled, glancing toward a large group. "Garet seems to be enjoying himself. He's been entertaining a lot of people with stories of his 'great adventure'."

"Making up stories again, is he?" Isaac wondered out loud. He cast his gaze across the room to the large table his redheaded friend sat at, and shook his head at the good-sized crowd around it.

"He's loving the attention," Jenna commented. She glanced down at the grain in the table, almost looking sad as she searched her mind for something else to discuss.

Isaac smiled as he watched her. "Are you enjoying yourself?" he asked, deciding to help the conversation along.

Jenna nodded twice, a bright smile curving her lips. "Its so nice just to relax and talk with every one. After working so hard to rebuild the town we all need it," she replied.

"We did work harder in order to complete the town as soon as we did," Isaac added, picking at a flaw in the wood of the table.

"If we hadn't, we'd still be building," Jenna said, sighing up at the ceiling. Her content smile faded into a sad frown as she lowered her gaze from the rafters, letting her eyes wonder around the crowds. "I just wish Felix and Picard were here to enjoy the celebration. They did a lot of work, too, and now they don't even get to enjoy the party."

"They chose to go to Contigo," Isaac stated. "They knew we were going to finish construction soon, and that there'd be a celebration afterwards. Both of them were well aware that they'd miss it. But I'm sure they'll find their own way to relax."

Jenna scowled, dipping her head to look straight down at her hands folded in her lap. "Isaac, how can they relax after just finding out about another threat not but three months after our first adventure ended? I can't keep my own thoughts from what Alex said and I'm here with plenty of distraction. But—"

"They're sailing alone on the ocean with only that to think about," Isaac finished. Jenna nodded and he sighed, resting his head in the palm of his hand. "Its all so overwhelming just to think about it. Is there always going to be someone after the power of alchemy like this? And so soon after the last power hungry tyrant? I wonder how long we can keep fighting against them, and if we don't, who will?"

Jenna's frown deepened. "Is this our fate? To prevent evil from taking alchemy and destroying or enslaving Weyard?" she asked.

Was it their duty now to save everybody every time someone wanted the power of alchemy for evil? It was such a heavy burden for anyone. If it were their responsibility, they'd be doing it their entire lives. Would they even have time to settle down and start a family like some of them wanted? How could any of them bring children into the world knowing that the next villain to come along seeking alchemy might just get it and kill them, leaving those children as orphans?

Jenna shook her head, forcing the thoughts out of her head. "No, we're here to enjoy the evening, not ponder such doom and gloom," she said, a small smile on her face. "So let's forget about Alex and this 'threat' for now, and enjoy ourselves! Why let it ruin our evening?"

Isaac smiled. "You're right," he sighed, shaking his head to rid it of dark thoughts.

"Absolutely right!" Sheba practically shouted, suddenly popping out of the crowd and appearing by the table. Ivan came following after her, but at a more leisurely pace. Isaac and Jenna were startled by her approach and gazed at the young girl with wide eyes a few seconds before smiling at her. "Don't ruin a fun evening with 'grown-up' stuff!"

Jenna giggled. "That's good advice, Sheba," she said, placing her hand on the Jupiter adept's shoulder. "But how did you hear our conversation?"

Sheba flashed a large, toothy grin, her eyes closing to slits it was so large. "I was standing near enough to over-hear it!" she replied.

"Eavesdropping?" Isaac teased, raising an eyebrow in suspicion. The playful smirk on his lips and the tone in his voice told that he was only picking.

"What? Me?" Sheba asked in mock surprise, pressing one hand flat against her chest. She made the best faux offended look she could. "I would never!"

"Yes you would," Ivan laughed. He received an objecting look from the young girl.

Jenna laughed. Motioning to one of the chairs she managed through giggles, "Sit down, Sheba."

Sheba sat in the only remaining chair around the table. "Don't mind if I do!" she chirped. A bright smile lit up her face. "So what are you up to?"

"You know. We were talking," Isaac replied. "I think we were about to change the subject though." He looked to Jenna for verification.

"Yes, we were. How about you?" she questioned. Her smile widened. "What have the two of you been doing all this time?"

"Wondering around, mostly," Ivan replied, pulling a chair from another table to theirs and sitting. "We talked with Miss Dora a while, and then with your mother, Jenna."

"Mm-hmm, and we've listened to Garet miss-tell the events of our adventure and make himself out to be the main hero," Sheba added, nodding in agreement to what Ivan said. "Mia let us eat with her, then we talked to Kraden, and we also played a few games to help entertain the younger children."

"You've been busy," Isaac chuckled.

"So young and active," Jenna said, patting Sheba's shoulder. "You both have all that energy to burn still."

Ivan smiled. "We didn't do that much."

"More than I have," Isaac replied. "It sounds like you've been running all over the inn."

"_We_ haven't," Sheba said, dropping her gaze to the candle in the center of the table. She kicked her dangling feet under the table and shyly avoided their gazes. She muttered something as if embarrassed to say it aloud. "I have, though."

Isaac laughed. "Did you drag Ivan around with you?" he asked. He grinned slyly and gently pushed at Ivan's shoulder in a teasing way. "Or did he follow you all on his own?"

Ivan blushed dipping his head to hide it. "N-no, I was with Garet for a while," he quickly answered.

Sheba blinked, as if not having caught on. "You haven't been by Ivan's side the whole time, have you?" Jenna teased, leaning over to lightly elbow her.

Sheba's cheeks turned crimson. "No!" she objected, glaring at the older girl. "Th-that's… Why would I be?"

Jenna and Isaac laughed, leaning back to observe their blushing friends. Ivan shifted uneasily under their watchful eyes, but Sheba sat un-moving. It could have been the poor lighting, but she looked like she was turning a deeper red by the minute.

"I'm sorry, Sheba," Jenna said, trying to loosen her friend up. "I didn't mean to embarrass you so."

Isaac chuckled. "I was only picking, Ivan," he said patting the boy on the back. "Didn't think you'd turn a different color."

Ivan's blush returned. "Yeah, that's okay," he mumbled, still avoiding their gazes.

Jenna snickered for a moment longer, exchanging glances with Isaac. She watched Sheba and Ivan awkwardly shift their weight so they were leaning away from each other. She giggled, not being able to help the feeling of guilt she got for making the two youngest of the adepts so uncomfortable. But it did give her a feeling of justice to watch Sheba squirm for having given her such a hard time about mentioning Garet instead of Isaac back on their journey. Pay back being given, she felt bad. She wasn't that mean. She looked at Isaac, her eyes almost pleading with him to relieve some of the tension building up at the table.

Isaac nodded, understanding the message Jenna's look was sending. He turned to Ivan and searched his mind for something to say. "Hey, have you received any more letters from Master Hamma?"

Ivan lifted his gaze from his lap to the table. "No, I haven't gotten a reply to my last letter," he answered looking thoughtful. "I'm getting a little worried. I'm kind of glad Felix and Picard went to Contigo. They'll know if something is wrong now."

"Felix wrote to Hamma a while ago," Sheba commented quietly. She had a distant look in her eyes, the light from the candles and flames in the hearth caused a dim gleam in them. "He inquired about the dream I had. It means a lot more now that we know Alex is still alive, but I'm not sure what it means."

Jenna frowned. "Sheba," she said, gently placing a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Do you think your dream was a vision from the past?"

"It had to be," Sheba exclaimed. "It couldn't be coincidence that I dreamed Alex escaped the sinking mountain and then he appears a few days later. It had to be more than that. But are Jupiter adepts supposed to be able to see the past? I thought once we were strong enough we predicted the future, like Hamma does."

"It is odd. I wonder if Hamma got Felix's letter," Isaac said, his brow furrowing. He narrowed his brow, letting his gaze stray to the crowd of people in the inn, thoughtfully observing their movements.

"So Jupiter adepts can see the past now, too, huh?" Jenna thought aloud. She sighed. "That's mind boggling. I wonder how far back you can see, Sheba? If its just a few days or even farther back, like years, decades maybe."

"She'd have to be really powerful to do that," Ivan replied, turning his attention to the fire adept. He shook his head. "The stronger you are the better your abilities are. Hamma can see as far ahead in the future as she can because of years of training and meditating. She made herself stronger, allowing herself to see farther into the future to predict things that will happen a week or years yet to come instead of just a few days away. Sheba's not strong enough to see more than a few days into the past, if that's what she's really doing."

"What else could it be?" Sheba questioned, frowning at her folded hands. "I saw Alex escape, and then he paid us a visit."

Isaac turned his gaze back to the other three sitting around the table. He'd been listening to them as he sorted through his thoughts. If it was possible for Sheba to see the past, it could come in handy. She could see a danger that hadn't yet reached them coming and warn everybody to be prepared. She could look to see if the road had been blocked up ahead by a natural event in the past and know if it would be a waist of time to go that way or not. If she could see what was in the past, maybe she could see whoever the new threat was, see what he was planning to do, and then stop it on the day he took action. They could benefit from her seeing the past just as much as they could if she were to see the future. But before she could do any of that, she'd have to be strong enough.

"Have you tried to seeing anything else in the past?" Isaac asked, leaning forward on the table.

Sheba blinked at him in surprised, having been pulled from her own thoughts. "Well, no," she replied. "I was waiting to hear from Hamma. And besides, the other week was a dream. Dreams come and go on their own, you can't control when you have them."

"True, but Hamma doesn't have to have a dream to predict the future," Isaac pointed out. "You should meditate, train yourself to become stronger. Then maybe you can have visions."

Sheba looked down. "Visions come of their own will, too," she muttered.

"But you wouldn't have to be asleep to have them," Jenna exclaimed. The thought of Sheba seeing the past excited her.

"Visions come on their own, but the weaker Jupiter adepts can only have them in their dreams," Ivan explained. "It has something to do with the mystery of our subconscious mind. The subconscious mind hides things that we know by nature but can't do while we're awake. Jupiter adepts first start to predict things in their dreams. They go to sleep, have the vision and tell of it when their awake. It's their subconscious mind that knows they now have the ability to predict the future, but they aren't aware of it yet consciously."

"So their dreams are visions caused by their powers?" Jenna asked, trying to take in all Ivan was telling them.

Ivan nodded. "Yeah, dreams are a subconscious thing, which is why we have them when you sleep only. You go into your subconscious when you sleep, and have dreams. People day dream, but they do it consciously, that's different," he replied. "When Jupiter adepts become strong enough, they can have visions in their conscious state of mind. Until then they dream their visions, because they don't know how to get the visions consciously."

"Wow," Jenna said, staring in awe. She blinked in surprise as her mind still worked to soak up the information. "I never would have guessed. How do you know so much, Ivan?"

Ivan blushed, averting his gaze quickly from Jenna's. "Uh— well, Hamma's been explaining things to me in the letters we send each other. That's all," he replied quickly, laughing nervously.

Isaac reached over and lightly tapped Sheba's arm to get her attention. He smiled warmly at her when she looked at him. "Hamma will know what's happening with you. I'm sure of it!" he encouraged.

"Yeah!" Jenna agreed, giving the young girl a warm, friendly smile. "Felix probably explained everything in his letter, and she just needed to meditate on it for a few days. That's probably why you haven't gotten a reply."

"I don't think that's why she hasn't sent a letter back," Sheba said. She was glad to have the support of her friends, but their encouraging words didn't help to put her at ease. "Felix only wrote the letter to make me feel better. He didn't really start to believe me until Alex showed up the other day."

Ivan sighed, worry showing on his features. "If Hamma was going to write back, she would have done it by now," he said. "I'm getting worried. Even if she'd left Contigo for a trip to visit somewhere else, one of the villagers there would have sent word of it and delivered the letter to her."

"It is strange that she hasn't replied," Isaac commented. He looked thoughtful for a moment. "I at first thought she was meditating as well, but now I'm not so sure. Its good Felix and Picard went."

"She's probably just busy!" Jenna suggested, trying to think positively. "She probably has the letter and has read it. She's fine—probably."

"Then why hasn't she replied?" Ivan asked. He gave Jenna a serious, worried glance, his eyes showing true concern and love for his sister. "If she read the letter, she would have replied. It's too much of an important subject for her to wait to reply. Even if she is busy."

Jenna frowned, dipping her head to hide her worried glance. They were right and she knew it. Hamma should have replied by now. So what was keeping her? Or worse, what had happened to her? Jenna's stomach turned at the thought of harm coming to the woman, her friend.

"Maybe we're overreacting," Isaac muttered. "Sheba, how long ago exactly did Felix send his letter? Maybe it hasn't been as long as we think. We could have lost track of time with all the construction of Vale. Can you remember?"

Sheba once again settled her gaze on the tabletop. She narrowed her brow in thought. "Well, I—" Sheba's voice trailed off suddenly before she could finish. She scowled and a look of fear, confusion, and insecurity crossed her face. Her mouth opened in a gasp as her eyes widened in shock. She looked ahead across the table at the wall, eyes wide, as if starring at something wicked that only she could see.

"Sheba?" Jenna said, exchanging a confused glance with the two boys.

Sheba gasped again, letting out a quiet cry of pain. Her eyes shut tightly and she grabbed her head, hunching over as if in pain. She squeezed her eyes shut, a gasp of pain escaping her parted lips.

"Sheba!" Jenna exclaimed, standing in her chair. Isaac rose and reached across the table, placing his hand on the fire adept's shoulder to keep her calm so she wouldn't draw un-needed attention.

"Ivan, what's happening to her?" Isaac asked, hoping the other Jupiter adept would know.

Ivan shook his head. He too had stood and was now staring down in concern at his fellow wind adept. "I don't know," he said.

"She's in pain!" Jenna exclaimed, holding her loosely fisted hands in front of her chest.

"Keep your voice down," Isaac instructed. "We don't need a crowd of people over here, and I'm sure she doesn't either."

Sheba cracked her eyes, tears forming from the pain vibrating through her head. She felt her psyenergy flaring and a burning sensation at the back of her mind. She heard something pop and all other sounds began to fade slowly from her hearing. Her vision had dimmed at first, causing her alarm and then everything went dark. She couldn't think straight but she remembered gasping and straining to see something, starring ahead where she knew the wall was supposed to be. She could see nothing. There was a ringing in her ear as all sound faded. Her head throbbed and she felt the power of her psyenergy increase. A piercing pain shot through her head, causing her to cry out in agony, but she couldn't even hear her own voice anymore.

Tears formed in Sheba's eyes as she squinted them at the floor. She was confused and frightened. Suddenly her vision turned to a blinding light and she had to shut her eyes again. Her mind called out to anyone that could hear for help, for relief from this pain. In the white void that now consumed her vision something formed. It was faint at first and she couldn't tell what it was, but slowly it darkened and appeared more solid.

_In the whiteness was a girl with brown hair and green eyes. She wore a traveling cloak and muddy, weather worn boots. She was walking. Her surroundings came into view. There was grass under her feet—no, a path and grass around that. Then there was a tree in the distance behind her. A gate appeared, one much like at the entrance to Vault, and a few buildings came into view as this young lady walked forward. _

_She came to the inn and entered. She spoke with the inn keep and got a room but there was no sound but the ringing in Sheba's ears. She saw her lying in the bed sleeping as the moon shown in through the nearby window. The next morning the girl arose and ate breakfast in the downstairs of the inn. She talked with the innkeeper again before leaving. There was still only the ringing, but Sheba could make out a few words – barely._

"…_sent me… I'm going… Where's Vale?" Those were the words the young lady had said, or at least the ones Sheba could hear over the loud ringing in her ears._

Sheba's head was pounding. She felt her mouth form a word.

"Ivan!" Sheba gasped out in a plea for help before doubling over as a sharp pain, worse than before, shot through her mind.

"Do something!" Jenna exclaimed, scared and worried. Surprisingly no one else had noticed the young girl who was now sobbing in agony. Their laughter and loud voices as they spoke to be heard over other noise must have drowned it out.

"Ivan, do something!" Isaac demanded, trying to keep his voice calm and quiet.

"I don't—" Ivan shook his head. "I don't know what I can do!"

"She's in pain! She's suffering!" Jenna snapped. "Help her!"

Ivan stared down at Sheba with concern as Jenna barked out orders. He searched his mind for something—anything he could do, trying to calm himself so he could think straight. Not sure what else to do he reached out to her. He could sense her powers flaring up. Maybe he could use is own abilities to help sooth whatever pain she was feeling.

Ivan placed his hand on her shoulder. Sheba immediately broke past the precautionary block Ivan had put up before touching her in case something went wrong while he was trying to contact her. Ivan felt a sensation of pain at the back of his mind that slowly moved forward, sweeping over every thought he had. She was crying out in agony screaming mentally as loud as she could.

The screaming distracted Ivan and between the pain he felt and the cries of pain Sheba was sending him telepathically he couldn't think straight. Her psyenergy power had skyrocketed and waves of power rushed from her shoulder into his hand, up his arm, numbing it, and into his mind digging into his thoughts and surging through every inch of his brain. He felt his own strength draining from him with every passing moment.

Sheba gasped again, leaning forward as far as she could without falling out of the chair. She felt Ivan's presence in her mind, but it was so faint it was like he wasn't even there. She desperately sought him out, begging for help. The ringing ceased and loud sound broke through the silence deafening her further if that was even possible. It was like a trumpet or horn was being held to either side of her head and blown with full force. Another sharp pain shot through her skull, raking over her entire body leaving an aching feeling behind as it passed.

Her psyenergy flared again, sending all the strength she had into the wave. The energy blast went through the telepathic connection the two Jupiter adepts shared and attacked Ivan numbing every muscle he had. The force of it knocked Ivan back a step or two, breaking the contact he had with Sheba's shoulder.

Ivan gasped for air, panting as he fell into his chair out of breath. He stared at Sheba wide eyed and in shock as the feeling in his arm slowly came back.

"What happened?" Isaac asked, even more worried now.

"Her psyenergy—its so—powerful!" Ivan gasped. "It broke through my block." He turned to Isaac and Jenna to look them in the eye. "That was my strongest block, and she broke through it with ease, almost like it wasn't there."

Jenna's eyes widened and she turned back to her young friend. Sheba gasped one last time and her arms dropped from the sides of her head. Her eyes opened and then rolled back in her head as she slumped to the side falling out of the chair.

"Sheba!" Jenna exclaimed, quickly bending next to her limp form and grabbing her up to cradle her in her arms.

Ivan turned his attention back to Sheba, a true look of concern on his face. He scowled. "She was helpless against whatever happened to her," He explained. "Whatever it was, was too strong for her. She wasn't ready for it physically or mentally. She attacked me looking for help and drained my strength so she could handle it." He gazed at her a while with a thoughtful expression. "She was screaming for my help and feeding off of my energy. The more pain she felt the more energy she took from me. I couldn't help her and I wouldn't have been able to step away had that energy surge not knocked me back."

"What does that mean?" Jenna demanded from where she knelt, holding Sheba's unconscious body in her arms.

"Ivan," Sheba muttered, opening her eyes. She starred as if she couldn't see a thing. Every ounce of her energy was gone. She felt as if she had no muscles or bones. The only thing that kept her from believing that was the fact that her muscles and bones were throbbing.

"Yes?" Ivan answered, lacking the strength to stand and bend next to her. She'd exhausted not only herself but him also.

"I had a vision," she mumbled. "It was too much for me."

"Another vision?" Isaac questioned, moving around the table to stoop next to Jenna.

Sheba weakly nodded her head. "You weren't ready for it," Ivan informed her. "That's why you were in so much pain, I guess."

Sheba lifted her head long enough to turn towards Ivan. "I'm sorry I hurt you," she apologized. "I was scared. I didn't know what to do. I needed help and I took your energy."

"I know," Ivan replied.

Sheba lifted her arm and flexed her fingers. Her mobility and feeling was starting to return to her. The pounding in her head had died down to a dull throb and her sight had returned. It was blurry but she could see again.

She lay quiet, glad to have Jenna to cradle her in her arms. Sheba stared into the crowd, briefly wondering why no one else had noticed the commotion that had just gone on in the corner of the inn while she waited for her head to stop throbbing. Her aching body and throbbing head went away a lot faster than she thought. Though still very weak and drained of energy she had enough strength to push herself away from Jenna and sit up.

Jenna quickly helped Sheba to her feet and sat her down in her chair. She then took her seat and waited until Isaac was once again in his before she spoke.

"You said you had a vision," Jenna inquired, leaning forward on the table. "What was it? What did you see?"

"I saw someone but it wasn't like before. It was as if I was watching this person from a distance. It wasn't glimpses like before," Sheba explained, letting her arms hang limply by her chair. She leaned her head forward, her chin resting entirely on her chest as her eyes closed in exhaustion. "It was a young lady. She was in Vault."

Isaac leaned closer trying to hear the soft-spoken words that she was muttering into her garment. "Who was she?" he asked.

Sheba shook her head, lifting it to look at him. "I don't know her," She replied. Her gaze wondered from their three faces and then paused on the candle that gave off the light they had in the center of the table.

"What did she look like?" Jenna asked.

"Short brown hair. It was choppy, and she had green eyes," Sheba began, a distant look in her eye as she recalled it. "She wore a gray traveling cloak and her boots—her boots were muddy and worn—" Sheba's voice trailed off as her eyes glazed over. "She was in Vault yesterday. She's coming to Vale."

Isaac straightened his back from where he'd been hunched forward over the table and blinked confusedly at the young girl. He exchanged a glance with Jenna and was about to say something when the inn door swung open. A blast of air hit his back causing him to turn halfway around in his chair. Everybody was in the inn, so who could be opening the door?

Jenna and Ivan turned their attention to the door. There, in the entrance to the inn stood a young lady with short, choppy brown hair, green eyes, a gray traveling cloak, and muddy, worn boots.

The three of them slowly turned their heads back to Sheba. The young Jupiter adept sat staring at the stranger. Her expression was solemn as she spoke.

"That's her. That's the woman in my vision!"

* * *

He paced back and forth in the darkness of his room. This plan could not be thwarted! It was perfect! Soon, Hamma would be taken care of, and he would no longer have to worry about her 'ratting' on him. But this Felix – he was strong and could pose a threat. And there were others like him? And this Sheba, the Jupiter adept mentioned in the letter to Hamma, she had the ability to see the past? If she could do that than how easily could she see the future or predict his actions?

All Jupiter adepts that had any connection to this Felix were a threat. All Jupiter adepts that would and could tell of any of his plans were a threat as well. He had to do something. But what? What could he do to stop these adepts from discovering him too soon?

Pausing he gazed at his reflection in the mirror. "You will think of something," he said, stroking his chin. "You always do. You have so far. You can still do it. What shall I do though? Hamma won't be any worry soon, but I do not know what to do about Felix? And these others my 'pet' mentioned that were strong just like Felix? And Sheba, the girl mentioned in the letter. What new ability is this that a Jupiter adept can have? They all must die! Or be put somewhere where they can't do any harm! But I can't eliminate them all, not alone."

He turned sharply on his heel to face the door. "I can't afford to make a mistake. I must think this out carefully, but I can't take too much time," he told himself, marching forward. He stopped, halfway between the door and mirror. He turned and looked at the mirror again. "I can't be hasty though." He turned to the door. "I have to think this through, yes, I have to. I must think it through without raising suspicions though. He already suspects something from me. I have to be more careful, more quiet, yes, so he won't find anymore out."

He glanced to the side thoughtfully. "If he gets to bold he might tell," he mused. "I can't let him become to brave or confident. He mustn't tell anyone!"

Yanking the door open he stormed out of it, slamming it shut behind him. He paused in the hallway and straitened his garments, calming himself and placing an expression of composer on his face. Smiling slightly, his eye twinkled devilishly. He continued down the hall, his wicked mind churning through evil plots and schemes.

* * *

The dark gray cloud poured gallons of rain into the ocean below as loud claps of thunder rolled overhead and lightening flash dangerously close to the crow's nest.

Felix clung onto the railing of the stairs leading up on raise part of the deck the pilot wheel was on. He squinted through the torrential down pour of the storm to see Picard holding onto the pilot wheel for all he was worth. They'd sailed into as storm so large there was no way to avoid it. Right now neither of them knew where they were ate or even what direction they were facing. The boat rocked and swayed, being tossed about by the large waves crashing against its side, making it difficult to stand, much less move. The howling wind angrily beat at them, so strong it pushed against them no matter which way they walked.

"Picard!" Felix yelled, hoping he could be heard over the storm. When the Lemurian didn't raise his head or even look at him he called again.

"Picard!" he yelled, louder this time. He's screamed so loud his throat was sore now.

Picard lifted his head and turned towards Felix's drenched, struggling figure. "What?" he called back over the raging storm around them.

"We can't go on like this!" Felix replied. "We have to stop and wait for the storm to pass."

Picard nodded his head, doubting Felix could see it in the hard pouring rain. "I agree," he shouted, locking the pilot wheel in place. The ship was still moving from the waves crashing around rocking it back and forth but it wasn't going forward anymore.

Picard struggled against the wind and fought to stand as the ship rocked again. He made his way over to Felix and pointed toward the cabin door. "Go below decks!" He shouted.

Felix didn't bother to reply. He grabbed hold of rail and began to pull himself along the edge towards the cabin door. Lighting flashed so brightly it was blinding, striking the crows nest splintering it into pieces large and small. Boards and chunks of wood came showering down over the deck. The two men shielded their eyes from the small splinters of wood raining down upon their heads.

Picard moved his arm once the last of the splinters bounced off of his head. A loud, deafening clap of thunder boomed overhead and rolled away into the distance. Picard glanced to the side of the ship to see nothing but a wall of water.

His eyes widened as it rose high above them, pulling the ship up so it was at a diagonal slant. Felix and Picard clung onto the railing for their lives as the wave crashed just on the other side of their ship, submerging the deck under water.

Surprisingly, despite the amount of water that they had been under that should have sunk or wreck them, the boat was still floating when the water had all run off, leaving the two gasping and choking for air. Felix glanced over his shoulder to make sure his old traveling companion hadn't been washed over board. Picard had slid a ways away, but managed to grab hold of the beam that the crow's nest used to sit on.

Felix struggled to his feet, a much smaller wave crashing onto the deck, the force of it knocking his legs out from under him. He hit the boards hard, the breath being knocked from his lungs and he slid, stunned and shocked, halfway across the deck before he regained enough sense about him to grab Picard's out stretched hand.

Felix's hand was wet, so it was hard to get a good grip on it. It didn't help that Picard's was wet as well, making it all the more difficult to keep their hold on the other's arm from slipping. Picard refused to let Felix go though. He barely managed to pull the young earth adept up so he could grab hold of the beam as well before another small wave crashed on deck, that would have washed them over board had they not had hold of something.

Picard pulled himself to his feet, Felix struggling just as much to get his legs under him. They clung to the beam with all their strength as the boat rocked so the rail dipped under water for a split second.

"That almost turned us over!" Picard yelled, casting a worried glance toward the rail that had gone under. Light flashed again, dangerously close to the beam they were holding onto. A loud clap of thunder sounded and left a ringing in the Lemurian's ears.

Felix fought the wet slippery decks to keep his feet under him. If he slipped he wouldn't be able to stay on the ship any longer. He got the cabin door in his sights again and calculated the distance to it. Scowling he groaned inwardly at how much farther he had to go before he could get below.

"We have to get below decks!" Picard yelled, hoping he could convince himself they could if he said it enough.

"I already know that!" Felix shouted back, keeping his eyes on the door as the wind wiped his wet hair around his face, bringing it back occasionally to slap him with it. Lighting continued to flash, thunder following soon after, booming loudly and intimidating above them. Waves crashed on deck, almost sweeping their feet out from under them as they fought against the strong wind.

"Just run for it!" Picard encouraged.

Felix sucked in a breath. He was determined to make it below decks. He'd have somewhat of a better chance down there, unless the ship turned over or they crashed. But there weren't any rocks or anything to crash into, and he wasn't much concerned about the ship turning over at the moment.

Quickly gathering up his courage he waited for the next wave to crash up on deck. Once the water had run off again he shoved off of the beam and rushed toward the cabin door. The rocking boat caught him off balance and he fell. Managing to pick himself up again he ran after Picard who had passed him when he fell.

Picard cast a quick glance to Felix to make sure he didn't require help before turning the doorknob and thrusting the door open. He rushed inside, catching the edge of the door to swing him self around behind it. Felix came tumbling in behind him, crashing into a wall as the boat rocked and sent him forward.

Picard struggled against the wind to get the door closed. Rainwater and the ocean water from the crashing waves came in soaking the floor of the cabin. Felix pulled himself and helped to get the door shut. Once it was closed Picard laid a large bar across it to keep it that way.

Felix sighed, leaning against the wall to catch his breath. They could still hear the storm raging outside and the boat was still rocking, but they didn't have to fight to stay on deck.

Picard looked down at the puddle forming under him as water ran off of him much like water poured from a pitcher. They were soaked all the way through, their clothes heavy with water they pulled on them. Picard peeled his wet hair away from his face and rung the water from it. He turned and went down the stairs to below decks.

Felix followed him down the steps and through the hallways back to their quarters where they could change and dry off before they caught an illness from the cool air below decks. The ship groaned and moaned as it swayed in the waves. The crashing of the waves was loud, but muffled by the deck above their heads.

Felix rung his hair out once he'd reached his room. He exchanged his wet clothes for some dry ones and dried off as much as he could. After he was dry he laid down in his hammock, pulling a blanket up around him so he could get warm.

Sighing he closed his eyes and listened to the storm above him. If anything happened Picard would wake him, if what happened didn't first. Either way, he'd know, so he felt safe enough rest his eyes and maybe doze a while.

He just hoped that they didn't get too far off course. And he hoped that they made it through the night.


	6. Chapter VI: Fate or Imagining?

Author's Note: Again I apologize for taking so long on the last update. But this chapter has come so quickly I just don't know what went wrong earlier. Last chapter I had to dig down deep into my mind for ideas just to fill it up. This one has come so easily, I might have too many pages! I guess its because I haven't written anything in so long. It's bottled up inside of me and is finally been given a chance to burst out. And its up so soon after my last update! Wow, I guess there is a first time for everything!

Well,this chapter is dedicatedto!_**VampriNaomi! **_

Thanks for the reviews and for reading! You're the only reader that keeps coming back for future chapters! Yay for you! I also like the fact that you don't push your preferred couplings onto me (or others). I hate it when people do that, so I try not to do it myself. It's so annoying! rolls eyes

Editing Note: Originally, the last sectionwith Ivan inwas meant to be in Chapter V. But when I finally got the first section of chapter V the way I was really happy with, there was no way for it to fit in that chapter. So I moved it to Chapter VI. Just a little writer's secret that some of you might or might not care about.

Disclaimer: Do I really have to keep saying this every chapter? I don't own Golden Sun, etc.

Golden Sun: The New Beginning

Chapter VI: Fate or Imagining?

Felix woke up as his body slammed into the wall of the inside of the Lemurian ship. He dropped to the floor and rolled with his back against the slop of the wall. Lifting his head he from the floor boards he uttered a curse so soft that no one else would have been able to hear it. He briefly realized that Jenna would scold him severely for using such language, but that thought was dismissed as quickly as it had come when his back cramped up and started aching from being thrown from his hammock.

The ship wasn't swaying anymore, which to him indicated that the storm had passed and the raging waves were no longer mercilessly tossing their ship about. But what had rocked the ship so that it threw him from his hammock where he'd been peacefully slumbering? And why didn't he feel the choppy waves that followed storms gently rocking the boat back and forth?

Felix remained on the floor for a while, starring up at the ceiling. The wood frame of the ship around him creaked a groaned objecting to whatever it had hit or whatever had hit it. Picard was nowhere to be seen. The fact that his hammock was empty and his body wasn't to be seen in a similar position as the brown haired adept was in let Felix know he had to have gotten up before or been up for a while.

As he lay there, his muscles aching after fighting to stay on board last night, Felix expected Picard to enter the room to get him, or at least hear his boots coming down the corridor towards the quarters. When there wasn't the familiar sound of boots clomping on wood drawing near he sat up. Craning his head around he looked at the door.

The door was wide open. There was no sign of the blue hair adept in it or near it.

Felix pulled himself up off of the floor and stood. He noted now that he was standing that the ship was slanted creating an annoying slope up to the door. He sighed as he left the room and climbed the stairs to the decks above. The door, which had been barred the night before, was cracked just slightly.

The sun was exceptionally bright as Felix opened the door and stepped onto the deck. He squinted his hand and instinctively brought his hand up in front of his eyes to block some of the glare. He could hear the seagulls calling to each other above and the sounds of the ocean before he could see anything.

When his eyes adjusted to the bright morning light, they settled on tangled mess of blue hair across the deck blowing in the cool ocean breeze as its owner peered over the railing at the side of the ship.

Felix held his hand over his eyes as a visor, still having to squint to see well. "What happened?" he asked, moving toward the Lemurian sailor.

"We wrecked," was Picard's simple and calm reply. Felix had to ponder the words before they sank in and the realization of what his traveling companion had just said hit him. He never had been a morning person, not even when he'd been rudely awakened.

"What?" Felix questioned, striding across the deck, which was at a downward slope.

"We wrecked," Picard repeated his tone of voice being no more concerned than it had sounded the first time. "I came up on deck a little before dawn. It was dark so I didn't see the rocks."

Felix leaned over the railing and blinked at the large rock that the ship had smashed into. The ship was stuck up against it, so the hole was blocked and they weren't taking on water, but they weren't going anywhere either.

Lifting his head he scanned the ship's surroundings. To the north, south and east there was nothing but ocean, an occasional rock dotting the endless blue that stretch to the horizon. But to the west off in the distance maybe a mile to two and a half miles away was a continent that stretched to the north and south for many more miles. Or at least it looked like a continent. It was too large for an island so what else could it be?

"Where are we?" Felix wondered as he surveyed the huge landmass from afar.

"I'm not entirely sure," Picard replied, spreading out the map that had been rolled up into a scroll and tied at his side. "I don't think the storm carried us too far off course. If I've calculated it right, we're right hear."

Felix peered over his shoulder to gaze upon the spot he'd pointed to with his index finger. "Hesperia!" Felix smiled. "Then we're close."

Picard frowned upon the map. "Yes, but we drifted south, so were near the bottom of the continent. We need to be at the top, in Contigo."

Felix grunted. "How far south?" he wondered aloud as he turned back to gaze at the continent.

"I'd say here," Picard guessed, pointing to the lower half of the continent. "It'll take at least another three days to walk up to Contigo. That is—" he trailed off, raising his eyes to the continent in the west.

Felix felt his shoulders slump and a feeling of hopelessness washed over him. "We have to get to it first," he groaned.

Picard nodded his head. "And when we get to Contigo to see Hamma, we'll need to find a way to get the ship into the docks and repair it."

"Let's handle one task at a time," Felix muttered. Turning on his heel he headed below decks to see if any of his belongings could be salvaged for the trip.

* * *

"Are you sure?" Jenna gapped at the girl standing in the entrance of the inn who perfectly matched Sheba's description. 

"There's no doubt," Sheba quietly replied. "That's her."

"She's exactly as you described her," Ivan remarked, gawking in disbelief.

Isaac wondered just how surprised he looked. No one else, besides the four of them, seemed to care really. But why would they? Sure, Vale didn't get many visitors, but this young lady looked as common and normal as they come. There was nothing about her that deserved the attention of the whole town.

The four adepts watched as the brown haired traveler crossed the room. She began to speak with the innkeeper and after handing him the fee for a room she retreated to an un-occupied table in the far corner of the room.

Ivan turned around in his chair, putting his back to the new comer. "Who is she?" he asked to no one in particular.

"I don't know. I really didn't see anything that mentioned her name," Sheba admitted almost guiltily. She lowered her head with a scowl. "She mentioned coming to Vale. And now she's here. First Alex, now this?" She shook her head unbelievingly. It was obvious that the young girl was confused and troubled by everything that was happening. "Can I really see the past?"

"I wish I knew," Isaac mumbled, barely loud enough to be made out. His gaze hadn't moved from the young lady. He continued to watch her as she ordered a drink and sat back quietly in her chair to wait for it.

Jenna frowned. "Its not a bad thing if she can!" she half scolded. "If Sheba can see the past, it could come in handy. She could warn us of—"

"I've already thought about the possibilities," Isaac interrupted. Jenna huffed and gave him a displeased glance, but he ignored it to continue. "I'm aware of what she could do, but she can't do it yet. So it won't do any good to discuss it. If anything it will only overwhelm Sheba even more."

"You're right," Jenna admitted, looking apologetic about the dirty look she'd given. "So what do we do?"

"We should talk to her," Sheba suggested, glancing over at the traveler. "She seems harmless. I don't think she's here to do damage. There's no need to worry about her."

Jenna nodded once and gave Isaac a determined look. "She's right! We should talk to her," she said.

The four took turns exchanging glances with one another. They were quiet for a while, glancing at one expecting or hoping that one of them would volunteer.

"Well," Ivan spoke, growing impatient. "Who's going to talk to her?"

"Sheba had the vision," Jenna suggested, motioning to the young girl.

"Jenna!" Isaac scolded. "Don't volunteer others for the things you don't want to do!"

"Well she did! She should be the one to talk to her, right?" Jenna protested, her voice dropping to a whine. Isaac gave her a stern look that said 'no'. She huffed, crossed her arms and pouted. "Fine."

"But who's going to go and talk with her?" Ivan questioned again. They fell silent again, dropping their gazes to the table. None of them wanted to do it really. It was probably selfish of them and something that they should be ashamed of themselves for, but what were they supposed to say? Its not like it's a normal thing for someone to approach you and tell you they saw you in a vision. How well would a stranger handle it?

Sheba stood, pushing her chair back as she did. "I'll go," she offered. "I did see her in my vision."

Isaac pushed his chair back and stood, holding his hand up to stop the young girl."No. I'll go talk to her. The three of you stay here. Sheba," he said, turning to the Jupiter adept, "sit back down and rest for a while. You're still exhausted from before."

Sheba nodded, happily complying her senior adept's wishes. Isaac stood and crossed the room, coming up quietly by the table the young lady was seated at.

"Hello," he said, giving her a friendly smile when she looked at him.

"Oh, hi," she said. Her tone sounded disappointed.

"Were you hoping some one different would speak with you?" he asked, stepping out of the way as the innkeeper sat a glass of water on the table. The girl quietly thanked him and took a sip from the glass before replying.

"Not really. I just came here to—" she stopped in mid sentence giving Isaac a look that accused him of almost tricking her into revealing something she didn't wish to tell. She smiled and chuckled to herself. "I came to study with the legendary scholar Kraden. My father is a scholar himself and wished greatly for me to be one. He wants me to study with the best."

Isaac smiled, not being able to help the feeling of suspicion that arose inside of him by her manner. "Well, you came to the right town. Kraden lives here."

"Oh good!" the girl exclaimed, clapping her hands together so unexpectedly that it startled the earth adept. "You know him then, don't you?"

"Yes," Isaac replied. "He lives away from the plaza. Its sort of in the woods."

The girl's smile widened. "I'm so excited," she said, her voice almost singing the words as she spoke. "My father has heard so very much about Kraden and wishes so badly for me to study with him. When lord Iodem granted his request that I may come away from my studies in Tolbi and come here he was so excited for me! I must say it's a great honor to even think that he might take me as his student!"

"You're from Tolbi?" Isaac questioned. He hadn't thought about it much until tonight, but there were two siblings from Tolbi that had come to study with Kraden several days ago. Of course they were more clear as to what they wanted to study—alchemy—where as this young scholarly woman was so vague in her desires. Kraden studies ranged from a large variety of things. He could teach her anything, but it would be impossible for him to teach her all he knew. So what did she want to study?

"Yes, my father worked for lord Babi for sometime. When he died and Iodem inherited the throne, he decided to stay under his rule and continue with his studies there. He started training me years before, but I was never really a true scholar until recently," she explained. She stood and gave a sloppy curtsey. It wasn't very graceful and looked as good as a courtesy would look if Isaac were to attempt one. "Forgive me for not introducing myself. My name is Felicia, scholar and loyal follower of lord Iodem of Tolbi."

Isaac returned her curtsey with a bow. "I'm the rude one. You're in my town and I didn't have the decency to even tell you my name before engaging in conversation," he replied. "I am called Isaac. Welcome to Vale."

Felicia's eyes widened and she leaned across the table. "Isaac? _The_ Isaac!" she questioned.

Isaac, startled by her reaction, straitened himself and glanced back to where he'd left his three friends wondering if he'd need help for some reason. He wasn't sure if her tone meant she knew him somehow and didn't like him or she was excited to meet him.

"Eh, _'the'_ Isaac?" he questioned, cautiously stepping closer to the table.

"Well, you are the one who traveled all of Weyard, lighting the lighthouses and saving the world from destruction aren't you?"

"Uh, I guess I did do something like that, didn't I," he nervously laughed.

"You're a legend! Isaac the Brave! Leaving his home for the first time in his entire life to venture out into the dangerous world on a quest to recover the stones and save his friends!" Felicia raddled off the words so dramatically it was almost like she was reciting a famous poem about a great hero of old. "Not until you'd reached the Jupiter lighthouse did you find out that the only way to save the world was to restore alchemy to it by lighting the lighthouses, the one thing you originally set out to prevent!"

Isaac starred at her with a surprised expression. She starred back with a look of awe and great respect spread across every inch of her face. He didn't know how to respond to something like that. Apparently rumors had been spread and people were talking.

Isaac laughed, shifting his weight uneasily under her adoring gaze. "I- I wouldn't put it like that, exactly," he replied with a hint of hesitation in his voice. "You make it sound so much greater than it really was."

"Surely you jest!" she exclaimed. "You're a hero! I heard lord Iodem mention you before but I only just realized that he meant you! I never dreamed I'd meet _the_ Isaac."

Isaac smiled to keep himself from frowning. There was that 'the' again. He didn't deserve such a title or such respect. He was only a young man, a boy to many, and still had so much more to learn before he could become a responsible adult. But yet he had trekked all over Weyard and did save the world. Regardless he didn't feel right being treated so much higher than others were treated. It didn't seem right, not to him.

"Won't you honor me with your company?" Felicia asked. She took hold of his arm and pulled him to the other chair placed around the table. "Please, I would love to keep your company, even for just a short period of time."

Isaac hesitated. After she was sitting again he sat across from her. "Well, I did come over here to welcome you," he muttered. He smiled warmly. "I'm glad you er—find my adventurous interesting. But I didn't do it alone."

"Oh, so then Garet, Felix, and Picard are here, too?" she questioned, her expression growing even more excited.

"Well, yes. I mean no—partly," Isaac replied. He felt nervous as her gaze continued to probe him. It felt as if he were on trial for something. "Garet is here, but Felix and Picard have—gone away for a while."

"Oh," Felicia leaned back in her chair, her expression falling slightly. She smiled and shook her head. "But I can meet them later?"

"Sure," he shrugged. Felicia squealed with delight and giggled with utter glee. Isaac glanced over to Jenna who was giving him a questioning glance along with Sheba and Ivan. He merely shrugged. "I could show you to Kraden's tomorrow."

Felicia gasped, her eyes lighting up with joy. "Really? You mean it?" Isaac hesitated before nodding his reply. She giggled again and clapped her hands together once with excitement. "Oh, thank you!"

Isaac laughed. Though he didn't wish to be treated as such a great 'legend' he found her behavior very entertaining. He'd never met anyone quit like here before. Her character was refreshing to him.

"Well you know, Garet, Felix, Picard and I had other help," he stated, adding the previous subject.

Felicia nodded. "I know. Mia, the water adept from Imil, Ivan, the mysterious Jupiter adept who served under lord Hammet of Kalay, Sheba the child of the gods, and—" she paused, glancing toward the ceiling thoughtfully. "Jenna, was it? Felix's sister."

"Yes," Isaac nodded. "That's the rest of them. So we've been heard of in Tolbi?"

"Not only there. They spoke of your party in Vault and Kalay. I've heard from the other scholars when they came back from their field work that the people told of Felix, Isaac and company far to the east, west and north," Felicia explained. "Like I said, all of you are legends now. Your story will be told generations from now. The only sad part is it will get distorted slightly over time, but hopefully only for the better."

"I didn't realize we were so--- well known," Isaac mused, glancing to the table for a moment. When he first started out he never imagined that this would become such a big deal. It was just a simple chase and recovery mission, nothing more. But somehow it had developed into a great tale of hero's and villains. They had helped many people along the way, Felix and his group of four had too, so it wasn't really surprising that people from different towns would make mention of their names to travelers and merchants passing through. What was shocking was the fact that so many villages in different parts of Weyard had spread their parts of the adventure so far and so quickly to make the one great tale that this young lady was making it out to be.

"That's an understatement," Felicia lightly scolded. "The eight of you have titles but its hard for me to keep the straight."

"Titles?" Isaac hesitantly asked. He dreaded what the response might be. He deserved no title and the others would admit the same thing.

"Mm-hmm. Each title was given to you for a particular attribute that the people thought fit you best. Like yours is Isaac the Brave," she replied. "Felix the Strong, Garet the Courageous, Picard the Great, Jenna—"

Isaac held up his hands and drew in a sharp breath to stop her. "I get the point," he muttered. "I don't need to hear them all. My 'title' was one title too many to tell the truth."

"You're just being modest," Felicia chuckled. "It's a great honor to be held in such great respects by lords and ladies all over Weyard, don't you think?"

"It is flattering," Isaac replied. He shook his head. "But I don't deserve the title 'brave' anything. I was scared half to death when I left Vale. I didn't know where I was going and I had to mark the names of the towns on my map as we came to them. It was very frightening. I wanted nothing more than to reclaim the stones and rescue Jenna and Kraden so I could return home. Near the beginning of the whole journey I selfishly wanted to save my friends only so I could go home sooner."

"But that changed," Felicia pointed out. Isaac merely stared, waiting for her to continue. "You said 'near the beginning of the journey'. That means that at the start you wanted that, but somewhere along the line, perhaps when you realized there was a lot more at stake than just your friends safety, you continued with the journey and saw to it that Weyard was once again safe."

Isaac opened his mouth to say something but closed it shortly after when his mind drew a blank. He hadn't thought about it that way, but it was true. The majority of them probably wanted to go home or wanted to accomplish what they had started out to do, but later they realized there was more to be considered and no longer thought of their well-being but only of saving Weyard.

"You're a hero!" Felicia repeated with a large smile. "No matter what your intentions were when you started out, those changed. And you did save Weyard for which the world owes you a great deal of gratitude. You, and your friends, all of you—you'll go down in history as nothing more."

Isaac smiled. "I still don't like being addressed with such a title," he said.

"Then I shall call you nothing more than Isaac," Felicia offered, returning his smile.

Isaac nodded his head in approval. "I'd have you do nothing less!" He stood, extending his hand to the brown hair young lady. "Would you mind accompanying me? There are a few people I want you to meet."

As Felicia stood and took his hand he looked across the room and smiled at Jenna. 'I wonder how she'll react to her 'title'?' he thought, smirking mischievously.

* * *

"Where have you been?" 

Alex turned around to the owner of the cold demanding voice. "Nowhere that concerns you," he replied, once again turning to gaze out the window at the soft blanket of white snow that lay upon the ground.

Karst narrowed her red eyes, a deep scowl darkening her expression. She stepped into the small cabin that had been given to the Imilian and closed the door. "Where have you been?" she repeated with much more force. "I want to know."

"I don't have to tell you anything," Alex practically taunted sounding so bored and disinterested that it made her sick.

"I don't trust you," Karst hissed, glaring at him mincingly.

"I know," Alex replied matter of fact, waving her statement off with his hand. "But I don't care. I don't need your trust to accomplish my plan."

"What plan?" Karst demanded marching half way to the man. "What are you scheming this time? Some other way to get more power? Huh? Are you going to use somebody else this time?"

"You're so suspicious all the time, Karst," Alex said, ignoring her questions. "You're always assuming the worst. You really should trust people more."

"The last time I trusted you I ended up lying half dead in the Mars lighthouse. I'm not going to make that mistake again," she snapped.

Alex lazily glanced at her his head slightly cocked to the side. He starred at her with a dull expression for a while completely unfazed by her glare of hatred and disgust.

"Again, I don't care if you trust me or not," he suddenly said, shrugging off her glare. "The only person I need to trust me is Mia."

"The twerp's girl?" Karst scoffed, scrunching her nose. She snorted her disapproval. "Why in Weyard do you need her to trust you?"

A look of annoyance crossed Alex's face. It would have pleased her accept this type of annoyance was the kind you would have towards a small insect buzzing around your head. "No, Mia, the twerp's 'friend'," he corrected. He shook his head as if he were shaking it at the stupid remark of a young child. "If she trusts me she can get the others to have an uneasy trust for me. That's why."

Karst wrinkled her nose at him and snarled. "It worries me that you need them to trust you," she fumed, noting the way he treated her and taking offense to it. "They are strong. Given, you're still more powerful, but together they are a deadly force. You'd have a hard time defeating them." She took a step closer and narrowed her eyes once more. "What are you planning?"

"First I want something automatically because I always do, and now I'm 'planning something' because I once did in the past," Alex mused thoughtfully rubbing his chin as he aimlessly gazed out of the frosted window. "People do change you know."

"Yes, people do. But you're a crude excuse for a man," Karst taunted, folding her arms across her chest. "And there isn't good in everyone. So if an evil little man like yourself were to change it would only be for the worse."

Alex placed his hand flat to his chest and made a mock expression of hurt. "Karst! You wound me deeply! I don't know if you could ever make it up to me now," he mockingly said.

Karst gritted her teeth narrowing her eyes to slits. "As if I'd believe you'd be offended by that!" she growled.

Alex tilted his head to the side glancing up at the ceiling almost as if he were really pondering it. "True. I guess I don't care about you enough to be hurt emotionally by your rude comments," he said. He shrugged his shoulders throwing his hands into the air palms facing upwards. "Oh well. Not everyone is going to like me."

"No one likes you," Karst spat.

"Now that's a harsh assumption," Alex replied.

"But its true."

"Probably so."

Alex glanced over at the pink-scaled woman with a smirk. He knew that if he agreed with every nasty thing she said about him if would get to her a lot more than if he were to deny them. She hated him and every opinion he had, so if he had the same opinions about himself that she had about him then it would a terrible thing for her to know that she thought the way he did.

He watched her expression of self-disgust and total abhorring glares for a while and smiled. "Well, I mean I probably lost all the friends I had when I 'betrayed' Imil and set out to light the lighthouses. And your sister—" he paused and took a side glance at her to note the look of hurt and sadness that crossed her face. "Let's just say that she wasn't really a friend to begin with. Merely a pawn."

"How dare you speak so of the dead; of my sister!" Karst shouted, her voice cracking. She drew in a sharp breath as she fought to hold back the tears. "You used her and she's dead because of it! Then you used me! You're not human, you're a monster!"

Alex stepped back from the window. "And so the truth comes out," he stated calmly. He smiled almost sympathetic towards the scaly Proxian. "Yes, I did use her, and you, too. But I can assure you that I'm not going to do it again."

Karst snorted. "Yeah, sure you won't," she scoffed. "You're word is meaningless to me. Your deception won't get you anywhere either!"

She stood before him glare at him through her tears. It was all she could do to hold them back. She hadn't really cried much before when she was told of her sister's death. She was so angry that she couldn't. Now, after three months of recovery, she realized just how much she missed Menardi. A tear began to slip and she quickly turned her back on Alex to hide it from him.

"I was checking something out." She wasn't expecting him to say anything else, especially not that. She turned around to face him, the deep frown still on her face but a new look of interest restored to her eyes.

Alex side, striding from one side of the cabin to the other. He stopped and stood in front of the fireplace turning to the side to face her. "The elder spoke of that threat. So I was curious," he explained. "I had to go see if he was right or just senile. I went searching for anyone who wanted alchemy for tyrannical or selfish reasons. I found only one."

Karst narrowed her eyebrows and shook her head with confusion. "Why are you telling me this?"

"I heard rumor in Tolbi of a man from the castle who acted very suspiciously," he continued ignoring her question completely. "They said they didn't know who it was but a maid from the castle had told of a suspicious man who had been see sneaking about the hallways at night and some in the day. I investigated further but found no proof of it. I couldn't get in the castle though, not without being caught once inside."

"Then you don't know who the threat is?" Karst wondered, stepping closer to the fireplace.

Alex shook his head. "Not yet I don't," he smirked. "But I'll find out eventually. I'll have no one going behind my back to steal the power I worked so hard to obtain from me."

Karst's expression hardened. "Why are you telling me this?" she demanded, a harsh edge to her voice.

"The elder said for you to help me, didn't he?" he reminded her, shrugging his shoulders. He looked as if he had not a care in the world.

"He meant escorting you around town so the other Proxians wouldn't kill you," Karst snapped. It was her turn to treat him as a dumb child with stupid questions. "Not gallivanting about the world on some greedy quest to keep the power of alchemy."

"Nonetheless, you can still help," Alex replied, moving to sit in the chair that had been placed there for him. "That is if you want to. I mean it's perfectly fine with me if you decide to stay in the frozen little town and spend the rest of your life watching snowflakes fall for your entertainment."

Karst narrowed her eyes. She opened her mouth to say a few choice words to him but stopped before even one had left her lips. She stood for a moment in thought, dropping her gaze to the floor. After a while she sighed.

"When are you leaving again?" she questioned reluctantly.

Alex took a mock expression of confusion. "What do you mean?" he toyed out of spite.

"You know what I mean!" Karst growled, her hands fisting in anger. "When are you going back to find out more?"

Alex smirked in a way that told her she had just played right into his hands. She rolled her eyes and groaned inwardly already regretting her decision.

"In a few days," he replied. "I want to give Felix and Picard time to find out the whereabouts of Master Hamma. Then I can visit again and find out what they know."

Karst glared at him. "I don't know why I agreed to go," she mumbled. He smiled and chuckled to himself in a way that could be mistaken as maniacal. "You just better not be using me again."

"Perish the thoughts, my dear!" Alex said, raising his hands.

"I'm not your 'dear'!" she shouted. Turning sharply on her heel she jerked stomped across the floor, jerked the door open and proceeded out in a like manner slamming it behind her.

Alex leaned back in the chair. His cocky smile was replaced with a deep frown. He lost himself in the comforting flames of the fire as he planned his next course of action. How was he supposed to tell Felix and the others who the threat was so they could stop it if he didn't know himself?

* * *

_A cold, harsh rain drenched the ground, beating down on the roofs of buildings. Puddles formed in the stone street and night had fallen upon the city. A black buggy with barred windows and a solid door, pulled by one horse, rolled through the puddles and down the street. The horse and buggy with its driver rolled past houses and shops with dark windows._

_The driver stopped the horse and buggy by a large gate in between high stonewalls. Behind the gate towered a great castle and its inhabitants, which had retired for the night all accept for a few guards. The man steering the buggy climbed down from atop where he sat and stood in front of the gate in his soaked cloak and wet boots. He beat upon the gate twice and waited, blowing warmth into his cold hands, the rain beating upon his head ceaselessly. _

_The gate opened a moment later and a man, his face shadowed, sneaked out, hunching as not to be seen. He looked at the buggy's driver as if to seek an answer; the driver nodded a sober expression upon his long pale face._

_The man who'd answered the gate smiled wickedly. He stepped outside of the gate and pushed it open further. Two men cloaked in dark robes walked out and went to the door on the buggy. The driver opened it and made a motion for the prisoner inside to get out._

_The two cloaked men reached inside the buggy and drug a weak, young woman out of the back. She collapsed to the ground in a rain puddle. She opened her eyes groggily as if drugged and squinted up through the pouring rain at the man who'd opened the gate that now stood over her. That man grinned down at her. Without taking his eyes off of her he said something to the two men that he'd brought out. They stooped beside of her and took a firm grip on either of her arms. Roughly they jerked her from the ground and drug her inside the gate._

_The two remaining men exchanged a few words. The man who'd come from inside the gate handed the buggy's diver a small brown bag. The driver opened the bag and counted many gold coins. He nodded his approval. The other man entered the gate, glancing over his shoulder sneakily, said one last thing to the driver, and then shut it behind him._

_The driver shut the door of the buggy and climbed back up in his seat. He paused and looked around cautiously before whipping the horse. The horse whined its objection as it reared once before galloping away._

Ivan sat up with a gasp. The room was darker than coal and all he saw was blackness unlike his dream. In his dream he had seen colors, images, the horrible fate of a young lady.

Panting he threw the covers back and stood, feeling his way to the window. Pushing the curtain back from it to let the moonlight spill in, he sat in the chair in front of it. His gaze wondered up to the sky, dotted with small flickering stars, half of the large moon shining light upon the ground below.

Ivan frowned at the half circle in the sky. It almost mocked him as it hung high in the sky without a word to say. I couldn't speak anyway, so what would it say? That his dream was only a dream and nothing would come of it? That it was real and was happening now or—would happen?

Ivan recalled the things he'd told the others earlier at the celebration in the inn when Sheba had had her vision. Were his powers growing as well? Was his dream that he had awoken from just a few moments ago going to happen? Or maybe it had already happened.

He scowled, glancing towards the mat that Mia was stretched out on when she turned over in her sleep. The young woman in his dream was so familiar. Yet it had been so dark in the dream that he couldn't really tell any detail of the few faces he actually saw. But for some reason the girl's fate troubled him deeply. Not simply because she was being miss-treated and placed in bondage to more than likely dealt with harshly, no. It was more than that. He felt a deep attachment to her. Her face was so familiar he could swear that he'd seen it before.

But he wasn't able to make out any details with the dark of night in the dream and the short glances that he actually got of her. Most of the dream had been viewed from afar, as if he were standing across the street observing. There really hadn't been a way for him to place her face if he did truly know her.

Clouds began to gather outside in the sky. A raindrop hit the windowpane, bringing Ivan's gaze to single water droplet trickling down the glass. It wove itself down easily finding its way as it trickled in a gently curved pattern. It knew where to go and what to do, unlike him. He was confused about his dream, about Sheba's visions. And his sister, a seasoned Jupiter adept, wasn't there to help either of them.

"Where have you gone, Hamma?" he quietly asked himself, careful not to speak so loudly that it would rouse Mia from her gentle slumber. He knitted his brow, a feeling of frustration growing inside of him. He was so confused about his dream. He didn't know if it was a dream or not. He'd had nightmares in his younger years that were similar. A stranger, or a completely random character whom he'd seen in the town, would be in danger our captured by one or more bandits. Some were even killed or tortured so badly that they became lame.

But this seemed so real. It was more real than any other dream he'd ever had. So could it possibly be a vision of the future? If it was, how could he do anything to prevent it if he didn't know who this young woman was?

It was infuriating and made him feel just as helpless and powerless to prevent it as he was. He was weak—too weak to help this person.

But he was assuming that his dream was a vision. There still was the possibility that it was just a dream. It couldn't be though; it was too real—wasn't it?

Ivan sighed. He felt lost without his sister to explain these new events to him. If his powers were growing and he was gaining the ability to see into the future, then he wanted her to be there to explain it and help him through it. She was supposed to be there for that reason, for him. He needed her. Sheba needed her too. Where was she, though? Felix and Picard had gone to find out, but it was taking much too long for his liking. He wanted to know the whereabouts of his sister now, not later, not in two or three more days. But he had to wait. Even after Felix and Picard reached Contigo it would take several days for a letter to bring word of his sister back to them.

Mia stirred in her sleep. He took it as a signal to try and to back to sleep. They had been out late and had to rise early so they wouldn't miss their morning meal. He was tired as well. Yawning he drew the drapes and returned to his place on the floor. Covering himself he rested on his back with his hands folded behind his head. He closed his eyes, images from his dream flashing in his mind as he repeatedly asked himself where Hamma could be and why he hadn't heard from her in a while. It was un-nerving to be left to wonder why one's on sister had been neglecting to return his letters.

Sleep slowly over took him. He drifted into a deep sleep dreaming the very same dream once again.


	7. Chapter VII: To the point of anger

**NOTICE:** You should know that this chapter is sort of a 'filler' chapter. Which means, I need to discuss this stuff, and it has to happen for the rest of the story to go on, but I really don't think its as important as the rest or has that much to do with the main plot. Its necessary, but I just couldn't fit it in with the other chapters. So chapter 7 is a filler chapter. Though you might like to know. There may be more of these in the future of this story, because believe me, I've planned out the majority of the story in a summary of the plot and there are a LOT more chapters to be written. That's a fact!

Disclaimer: Don't own it etc.

Golden Sun: The New Beginning

Chapter VII: To the point of anger

"…and you should go help your father today. He's working on building that shack to store all his tools and things in. Are you listening?"

Garet grunted his reply and his mother continued on about other things he had to do. He hadn't really paid much attention to her, which he knew he'd regret later when she was scolding him for it, but his mind was elsewhere and his eyelids were heavy with sleep from having stayed up far to late celebrating at the inn the night before. At the celebration he'd managed to keep his thoughts away from Alex and the threat, but that morning it was all he could ponder.

He hadn't spent much time thinking about it since Alex's visit, what with finishing Vale and all he was too busy. Really he'd only started to ponder what the future months held for them. In all honesty the idea of having to fight so soon after just finishing a journey that had taken them practically a year to complete was overwhelming. Sometimes, whenever he recalled the events of the adventure, he missed being out in the world, but one look at his warm home, comfy bed, family, and the newly restored town around him all desires for more traveling vanished from heart and mind.

Lazily he glanced out the window, grunting another reply to a question he hadn't even heard. He hadn't realized how short a time it had been since their journey's end. It had seemed longer when they were building, but now it wasn't so long ago anymore.

He spotted Isaac trekking along the path up past his house headed in the direction of the bridge. But he wasn't alone. Standing he rushed toward the door. "I'll do those things later, mother," he called over his shoulder, hardly hearing his mother's voice as she spoke.

"I wasn't talking to you anymore, Garet!" Her annoyed response came. She called his name again before he shut the door behind him. Jogging up the stairs and down the path he only slowed once he'd caught up to his childhood friend.

"Isaac!" he called, slowing to match his pace. He glanced at the brown-haired girl for a moment with inquisitive eyes. "Where are you going?" he asked, turning back to the blonde adept before him.

"Kraden's," Isaac replied, smiling warmly to greet his friend. "Escaping your mother's 'endless' list of chores?"

Garet snorted, refusing to acknowledge the accusation. It was true, but he didn't have to admit he neglected his chores from time to time. "So, who's this?" he asked, flashing a brief smile to the girl as he indicated her with his head.

"Oh, sorry," Isaac apologized, pausing. "That's right, you didn't meet her last night. Garet this is Felicia. Felicia I'd like—"

"Garet?" Felicia asked, her eyes lighting up as she turned her gaze on the tall, red head. "You're Garet?"

"Uh, yeah," Garet replied, casting a confused glance Isaac's way. The Venus adept only snickered knowing the reaction that answer would provoke from the young lady.

Felicia took a step forward, her green eyes sparkling as she probed him with her stare. She smiled, revealing her bottom teeth a good bit before she gasped in awe. "Garet the Courageous!" she breathed, reaching out to touch his sleeve as if she were touching something sacred.

Garet stared at her; his mouth gapped open as the words sunk in. "What?" he asked, his brow frowning with confusion. Isaac burst out laughing, making a motion to his friend's expression. "What are you laughing at?" Garet demanded. He pointed to Felicia who stood staring at him like a child would stare at a toy or piece of candy he desired. "And what is she talking about?"

Isaac chuckled. Clapping a hand on Garet's shoulder he held his hand out to Felicia like he were to present someone to a crowd. "We're famous! And Felicia is our number one fan."

Felicia stepped forward again invading what Garet considered 'personal space'. "It is a pleasure to meet you! I've heard all the tales of your greatness, but I never thought I'd actually get to see you, much less meet you!" she blurted out all in one breath. Garet stepped back as she continued. "You really are as tall as they say. Exactly how powerful are your flame attacks? Would you mind demonstrating for me? Are you as kind as they say? Do you really eat a lot?"

Garet blinked. He opened his mouth to speak but couldn't find the words. He turned his bewildered gaze over to his friend who smiled broadly.

"Its shocking, isn't it?" Isaac asked. Garet nodded his reply, turning back to stare at the girl with curiosity and surprise. "Apparently our deeds that we performed along our journey didn't go without the praise of the people. It spread and now pretty much all of Weyard knows who we are and what we did."

"Well," Garet managed to say. It was rather shocking to hear. He had no idea that they were being talked about after they left all the places they'd visited. He didn't expect to become famous or earn a title while out traveling. "That's certainly… interesting." He scowled at his lack of a better word and then smiled strangely at Felicia. "Garet the Courageous?" he then inquired.

"Yes! You are known for your courage," Felicia explained. "It's said that you almost gave your life diving off a cliff in Jupiter Lighthouse to save a friend. And there are many other accounts of your courageous acts in battle as you stood loyally by your friend's sides no matter the circumstances. As a matter of fact—"

Isaac cleared his throat to gain her attention. He glanced at the fire adept's perplexed expression and then back at her. He gave a brief smile before turning and slowly resuming his walk to Kraden's house.

Felicia turned back to Garet. "I'm sorry," she apologized. "Isaac warned me that some of you might be stunned by this news. I should have been more reserved."

" 'Some of us'?" Garet asked, turning to follow after Isaac.

Felicia matched his pace and walked beside of him. "Yes, the other six of your traveling companions earned titles as well," she replied. "I can tell you about them on the way if you'd like."

"Sure," Garet nodded. "Why not?"

Felicia explained the titles and reasons for getting them to the fire adept. He found the tales of his 'glory' particularly interesting and continued to ask her about more 'great deeds' she'd heard about him.

Isaac didn't have to endure it much longer though. The roof of Kraden's house soon came into view over the trees and a minute or so after they were ascending the stairs to the scholar's house.

Isaac knocked on the door. Garet and Felicia fell silent as they all three listened for a response on the other side and waited for the elderly man inside to open it. It was quiet for a while, but Kraden's muffled voice soon came over the noise of his footsteps as he called, "Coming!"

"Isaac! Garet, what a surprise!" the old man smiled broadly as he glanced between the two. He beckoned to them with one hand while straightening his spectacles with the other, saying, "Come in, come in!"

The lower room of Kraden's house was obviously 'decorated' for a scholar and his studies. A large table sat in the middle of the room, covered with an assortment of glasses, small, round containers, and many blank parchments that were used to jot down Kraden's notes on his experiments. Oddly colored liquids and awful smelling gasses arose from most of the containers, and a large pot, filled with one of the liquids hung on a hook over the fire in the hearth.

Over by the window sat a desk, piled up with stacks upon stacks of books, some laying open to certain pages and others sat up on their ends in a row to make room for the papers and scrolls scattered across the wood surface. The top of a quill pen sticking out of a pile of paper was the only proof that there was a pen there to begin with.

A ladder, rather than stairs, had been set up into a large, square whole cut in the ceiling that led to the living part of Kraden's home. There was a door closed over the whole to keep the smells and stench of experiments out of the bedroom.

The walls behind and to the right of the ladder were lined with bookshelves, crammed full of books. The only gaps between the colorful binders of the reading materials were the ones created by the absence of the books that had been taken over to the desk.

Kraden, who had moved while the three young adults surveyed their surroundings, stood by the table in the center of the room. He glanced over at Felicia long enough to look her over once. "Who might your friend be, hm?" he asked, eyeing a liquid through the clear glass container as he held it up to the light.

Isaac was about to introduce the eager young scholar when the hatch above the ladder opened. A skirted pair of legs began to descend as a female's voice called down ahead of them.

"Kraden!" the young lady said as she neared the bottom rung. "I got the container that—" The girl stepped onto the floor and turned, her eyes falling upon Felicia. She gasped in mid sentence, her eyes widening with surprise. Her mouth gaped open witha lack of words and her hand loosened on the glass container. It fell to the floor, shattering on contact.

"Kitty!" Kraden lightly scolded. "What's wrong with you, child? Have you greased your fingers today?"

The girl, now addressed as Kitty, stooped over to the mess of glass shards. "I'm terribly sorry, Kraden," she apologized, casting a strange glance up at Felicia from behind her bangs.

Kraden rushed across the room and squatted, assisting in the clean up of the mess. "Do be more careful child. I have a limited supply of these and I can't buy any more here in Vale." Kitty apologized again.

A young man climbed half way down the ladder and gazed down upon the shattered glass. "What happened?" he asked.

Kraden stood as the young man stepped off the ladder. "Oh, nothing too terrible," he explained with a laugh. He turned back to Isaac. "Now, I believe you were going to answer my question."

"You!" the young man exclaimed, stepping past the seasoned scholar to point his extended finger at Felicia. "What are you doing here?"

"Its nice to see you too, Kaiden," Felicia's cold response came.

Isaac exchanged a glance with Garet and shrugged. "You know each other?" he asked, motioning with his hand between the two.

"Yes," Felicia replied. "They studied in Tolbi with me."

"More like against you," Kitty corrected, straightening herself as she stood with the glass shards in hand.

"We are rivals," Felicia explained, noting thetwo famousadept's questioning glances. "The three of us, ever since we started our early careers, have been trying to out do, or in this case, out learn the other."

"Yes, well that's interesting," Kraden mused. He cleared his throat. "Isaac, Garet. These two young people are siblings, Kaiden and Kitty," he explained, indicating them respectively. "They came from Tolbi to study with me."

Felicia stepped forward with a smile and curtseyed, her full attention put on the old man. "My name is Felicia. I, too, am a scholar from Tolbi. Lord Iodem sent me continue my studies here, with you. He requests that you take me as an apprentice of sorts."

Kraden's gray, bushy eyebrows raised high on his forehead. "My, my, it would seem Lord Iodem expectsgreat thingsfrom me. Sending three young scholars to study with me is a great task put to rest on my shoulders, don't you agree?" He peered through his spectacles at the young female scholar opposite the room from him.

Felicia curtseyed again, bowing her head as she bent low to the ground and remained there as she spoke. "It would be my honor to study with the great scholar, Kraden, sir. I know it will be difficult to teach three young scholars, especially when two are the rivals of the other. But please, it would honor me and please my lord, Iodem."

"I'm sure it would!" Kraden exclaimed. He laughed, turning a wry smile to Garet and Isaac. "I don't know how I got to be so famous and popular with the scholars of today, but I find it all very overwhelming."

Isaac returned the smile, almost apologetically. "She arrived in Vale last night during the celebration," he explained, gesturing to Felicia. "I talked with her and she explained herself. I promised I bring her to meet you today."

Kraden nodded approvingly. "Good, you're a man of your word, truly," he commented. He looked at Kaiden and then his sister. "I hope I don't offend you by inviting your lifelong rival to study with me as well."

Kaiden glared at Felicia then exchanged a glance with his sister. Kitty reluctantly nodded once. "It is not our decision to make, Kraden," Kaiden reluctantly replied. He bowed his head in submission. "I will not try and prevent you from taking on another student, despite who they might be."

"That was mature," Felicia taunted, the venom of his last phrase evident to everyone. She smiled at him as obnoxiously as she could. "Kraden, I ask if you accept me?"

Kraden placed his hands behind his back and stood observing the girl's posture for a moment. He looked thoughtfully upon her then smiled a wide, bright smile. "Of course, I accept you as my student," he replied. Felicia smiled and curtseyed again, joyfully spilling out her thanks. "But I'm afraid I have no room for you to stay here. You'll have to live at the inn and walk here daily for your studies. If you do some odd jobs for me around the house, I'll pay you for them. That way you can afford to stay at the inn."

Felicia glared at the two sibling scholars who both grinned smugly and triumphantly at her. She bowed her head, her hands folded in front of her. "That is a sacrifice, for the time spent away from you is less time I can study," she began, her voice low with jealousy of the siblings. "But being granted the privilege to even study with you is a great privilege indeed. I will perform these tasks as you ask them of me."

"Good! Wonderful," Kraden said, clapping his hands together. He smiled at the five young adults surrounding him. "Well, I think its time we get to our studies."

Isaac bumped Garet with his elbow and ushered him toward the door. "We'll be on our way and leave you to do just that," he said with a smile.

"Of course!" Kraden smiled. He waved as they exited. "Goodbye. I'll see you at some point in the future."

Garet returned the wave and Isaac smiled with a nod as farewell before closing the door.

Kraden turned to each of the three scholars. "Shall we?" he asked, motioning toward the center table. The three moved to opposite sides, the siblings resuming their previously paused work and Felicia waiting patiently to receive her instructions while surveying the contents of the tabletop. Kraden glanced back and forth between the three and then sighed hopeful that he hadn't made a mistake pitting rivals together for the same studies.

* * *

Ivan stared up at the two-story house with a look of contemplation. He moved his gaze to the door in awe over the intricate design that the villagers had carved into it. It was beautiful! The villagers had spared no expense or labor when they re-built their hero's homes. 

He was reluctant to knock on the door for fear of messing up the carved workmanship. It was a ridiculous fear, for he knew the only way to accomplish that would be to take a knife or other blade to it and hack away the design.

"Ivan!" Jenna's exclamation was one of surprise just as much as it was one of delight. She stepped to the side and motioned for him to enter her home. "Please, come in!"

Mia looked up from where she sat by the empty fireplace and smiled. "Ivan, what are you doing here?"

Ivan returned the smile. "I—well, nobody was home, so I decided to take a walk and find where you went," he explained, looking back over his shoulder as Jenna passed by it.

"Isaac and his parents weren't home?" Jenna questioned, glancing back to him as she walked.

He shook his head, casting his gaze over to the fire adept. "Isaac had promised to take Felicia to Kraden's today. His parents are out visiting some of their friends."

"Felicia?" Mia asked, looking for an answer from either Sheba or Jenna as she looked between the two.

Jenna nodded. "Yes, she said she was from Tolbi," she explained. "She was sent by Iodem, believe it or not, he rules Tolbi now. Anyway, he wanted her to study with Kraden."

"Yeah, and she thinks were famous," Sheba laughed from her seat in the floor. "Actually, we are famous according to her. She named all our titles and our 'great deeds' for over half the night." She giggled, her eyes glinting as she looked upon Jenna. "Jenna's title was funny."

Jenna glared at her with a threatening look that warned the young Jupiter adept not to say any more. "Well, it wasn't as bad as Sheba Windfall," she retorted. Sheba stuck her tongue out in reply.

"I'm famous?" Mia asked, baffled by the idea. She blinked as it settled in. She was famous, apparently, for the things she'd done along with the others on their journeys. "And I have a 'title'?"

Ivan smiled. "I'm afraid so. We all do," he replied. "I'm not sure I like the idea so much, but maybe our popularity will die down after a few years."

"But we're famous," Sheba exclaimed. "I never thought I'd be famous. Well, I suppose I was popular in Lalivero, but all of Weyard has heard something about me. It's a lot to take in, yes, but kind of spectacular if you consider the possibilities presented by it."

"I'm content to be just plain Jenna, thanks," Jenna giggled. It was amusing the watch the young girl marvel of her fame, something that none of them had ever dreamt of having.

"You won't find it so wonderful when people start invading your privacy," Mia said. "Most royalty are famous, or any ruler for that matter. They get so much attention that they could go crazy if they heard all the rumors spoken about them. Take Babi for example."

"He did have a lot of people talking about him, didn't he?" Ivan agreed. "Mostly about his long life and rumors behind it's coming to be, but nonetheless, he was 'famous' in a manner of speaking."

Sheba shrugged. "Who is there to swamp me with too much adoration though?" she asked, holding her hands out as if asking for the said hordes to be shown to her. "I'm in Vale, and I expect I be here a while longer. Our fame will probably die out by the time I leave."

"Felicia," Ivan reminded. He received a questioning glance from the other Jupiter adept. "Last night, when Isaac introduced you to her. She bombarded you with questions and wouldn't stop touching you. Its like she had to touch you to realize that you were real."

Sheba shivered at the memory. "That was a little creepy," she recalled, scrunching her nose at the smothering attention the scholar had bestowed upon her the previous night. "I guess there are more people like her out there, huh?"

Ivan nodded as Jenna voiced her agreement. "She was nice," Jenna said, "but very, very, _very _er—fond? —of us." She pondered the word 'fond' for a moment then shrugged. "I can't think of anything better without being cruel."

Mia shook her head as if trying to rid herself of the whole notion. "I agree with Jenna," she said. "I'll stick to being Mia without a title." She nodded and folded her hands as a sign that she had 'wiped her hands clean' of the matter and dismissed it.

"So, did you need anything, Ivan?" Sheba asked, dropping the previous subject to focus the conversation on something new.

Ivan grinned awkwardly at her, moving across the room to sit in the chair that Jenna was motioning him to. "Not really," he replied, doubt in his tone. He stared at the floor while the three girls exchanged confused glances of concern.

"Ivan," Mia said gently, reaching out to tap his leg and catching his attention. "Is something wrong? You said you came to find me, did you need to tell me something?"

"I'm tired, I guess," he replied with a sigh.

"We were out late," Jenna observed. "It was an awful chore having to caring Sheba's sleeping body back, too. I thought I'd collapse under her weight before I reached home."

Sheba glared at the fire adept, a flicker off annoyance in her eye. She stuck her tongue out snottily, unable to think of a come back at the moment.

"I don't think it's how late we stayed out," Ivan explained, trying to hide a yawn behind his hand. He blinked his tired eyes in attempt to ride them of the heavy feeling they'd had all morning. "I wasn't able to sleep much last night. I kept waking up."

"I thought I heard you moving around," Mia commented. "I figured I'd imagined it or was still dreaming since I was only half awake."

"Why couldn't you sleep?" Sheba asked, concerned. She scooted closer to his chair looking eager for his response.

"Sheba, have you had anymore visions?" he suddenly asked, raising his gaze to meet hers.

The other wind adept blinked, taken back by the sudden question. "Well—" she stumbled with her words, trying to gather up her thoughts to search them for any memories of another vision. "Not since last night, before Felicia arrived."

"You had another vision?" Mia gasped. "But you weren't asleep?"

Sheba shook her head. "No, I was awake for this one. I glimpsed Felicia's travels here," she explained. "It was another vision of past events, like the one I had of Alex."

"Oh it was awful!" Jenna exclaimed, squatting next to the small blonde girl. She wrapped her arms around her shoulders and hugged her against her side. "It caused her so much pain! She was crying and whimpering and calling out Ivan's name!" She giggled, smiling down at the younger girl. "That part was actually kind of sweet, if you ignore the situation!"

Ivan felt his cheeks flush as Mia cast him a glance and gave a sly smile. He quickly averted his gaze to the floor.

"I didn't whimper!" Sheba objected defensively, her cheeks turning a bright red. "And the only reason I called out Ivan's name was because you or Isaac wouldn't have been able to help me!"

"So you didn't have any visions last night?" Ivan asked, regaining their attention.

Mia gave Jenna a look that requested the whole event be recounted to her later.

Sheba shook her head. "No, no more visions. The one about Felicia was the last I had," she repeated. Cocking her head to the side her brows narrowed over her green eyes. "Why do you ask?"

Ivan sighed. "I was curious," he replied.

"It was so sudden though," Jenna commented. "You were talking about being tired and then out of nowhere you asked that question. Are you sure nothings bothering you?"

Mia shifted her weight and leaned forward over her knees, resting her arms across her lap. "Ivan, why couldn't you sleep last night?" she repeated Sheba's earlier question. "What woke you up so much?"

"A dream," he answered. He met her gaze, moving his to Sheba and Jenna to meet theirs as well. Dropping his gaze he found himself staring at the floor again.

"What dream?" Mia sweetly coaxed. She found it odd that she had to encourage him to tell them so much. Normally he wasn't so reluctant to share what he was thinking, or explain his worries and troubles. Just from his expression she could tell that whatever it was really bothered him. It must have bothered him so much that he was unwilling to share it with others.

Ivan sighed once again, his eyes closing from the weight of sleep upon them. "I had a strange dream last night," he explained, forcing himself to open his eyes. He looked up at Mia. "I can't be certain, but I think my dream was about Hamma."

"Master Hamma?" Sheba gasped. "What about her? Is she okay? Was it a prophetic dream?"

Ivan nodded reluctantly. "I think, if I'm right, that my dream was a vision of the future," he replied. He shook his head. "I'd wake up disturbed by the dream. When I finally fell back asleep, I'd have the dream again. Each time the images I saw became more clear and vivid. I could see more detail, but I could only make out clearly one face: the face of my sister."

"What was your dream?" Jenna inquired, sitting next to Mia on the hearth.

"A man brought a woman in a prison carriage to a castle. I don't know where, but he took her around to a back gate. A second man came out to greet the carriage driver, and two more men accompanied him. The third and fourth men opened the carriage and pulled the woman out," he paused, the memory of the dream still fresh in his mind from having had it so many times the night before. Mia and Jenna listened intently, and Sheba reached up and touched his hand, encouraging him to continue. "I couldn't figure out why, but I recognized the woman. She was drugged or something, because she acted groggily. The men talked and she was drug into the gate, which was closed after the second man. I came to a conclusion this morning. I know now why I recognized the woman, why she was so familiar to me. I realized that it was Hamma."

Jenna gasped. "But if it's a prophetic dream—" her voice trailed off. She didn't have to finish that statement. Everyone knew what it meant.

"Oh, Ivan," Mia sympathized, reaching over to give his lower arm a squeeze. "I'm sorry."

"It hasn't happened yet," he said softly. He sighed again, allowing his chin to rest on his chest as he slouched down into the chair. His eyes closed involuntarily and he left them shut. "That dream haunted me all last night. And today, it still haunts me. I kept telling myself, trying to convince myself that it was only a dream created by my fears and worry over her lack of replies to my letters. But the more I tell myself that, it seems all the more not to be true."

Jenna scowled, biting her lower lip. She watched as Mia squatted next to Ivan's chair to wrap her arms around him and embrace him in a comforting way. If his dream was a vision of the future, then that meant Hamma was going to be imprisoned within the next few weeks, if not days. There was no way to tell how fare ahead he'd seen, just that what he'd seen was going to happen—like it or not.

"That's terrible," Sheba whispered. She lifted her gaze, which she'd lowered to the floor while Ivan was speaking. "To dream something about your own sister and know there's nothing you can do? I can't imagine." She shook her head; words failing her as the realization of Hamma's capture being inevitable.

"I only wish that I could see who took her, or when and where she was taken so I maybe could prevent it," Ivan added, a bitter tone to his voice. He opened his eyes, leaning forward to drop his head into his hands. "What am I supposed to do? I feel so worthless now, knowing my sister's future and not having any power to even _try_ and stop it."

Mia hugged him tighter, leaning her head between his shoulders, as she stood up so she could wrap her arms around him better. "Ivan, I don't know what to say."

Ivan shook his head. "What is there to say?" he asked. It was an empty question that no one could answer, but one that any one of them would have given almost anything _to_ answer. "I wonder if she's seen her future. Does she know her coming capture? The inevitable imprisonment that awaits her? If she does, how does she feel?" He heaved a frustrated sigh. "I wish I could help her. I wish I could be with her!"

The room fell silent as everyone let the terrible future of their friend sink in. Ivan remained still for the entirety of the extended silence. Mia only moved to straighten her self, keeping her back from cramping, but she stayed next to her friend with both hands on either of his shoulders as somewhat of a comfort. They all searched their minds for a solution, for something they could suggest to ease the anguished Jupiter adept of some of his worry. They tried in vain to come up with a way to help Master Hamma.

Jenna sighed after several quiet minutes passed, closing her eyes. She could think of nothing and had grown weary trying to. "Why," she began with a bitter tone, "do I feel that if Felix were here, he'd know what to do? He'd know what to say, how to say it, and how to make you feel better."

Ivan raised his head to find her sympathetic gaze upon him.

Sheba shifted on the floor. "And if he couldn't, Picard could," she added with a helpless sigh. "I don't know how old he is, but something tells me he's a lot older than even Kraden. And he's wise enough to solve our problems."

"Maybe Isaac and Garet could help?" Mia offered. Neither of the two men said to be such great problem solvers were present. Somebody else would have to substitute their place for now. She gave Ivan's shoulder a gentle squeeze. "We'll talk to Isaac tonight, okay? In the morning, the three of us can go to Garet's house and explain it to him. Maybe with six minds thinking of a way to help we'll come up with something."

Ivan nodded very slowly. His gaze was distant as if fell back to the floor. He seemed to be looking at something beyond the wood surface as he held back tears of frustration.

Jenna stood, casting a glance to Sheba signaling for her to get up too. "Ivan, why don't you go home and get some sleep," she suggested. She looked at Mia who nodded andpulled up on his shoulder's to encourage him to stand alongside her. "Mia can go with you while Sheba and I will stay here and continue trying to come up with something."

Sheba went to the door and opened it as Mia guided the weary, grieved boy to it. She stopped to two and gave Ivan and brief hug. "It'll be okay, Ivan," she whispered sweetly to him. As she stepped back she gave him a reassuring smile and a lightly squeezed his upper arm. "You'll see. Hamma will be fine."

Jenna watched as the wind adept shut the door. She sighed and sank down into the chair. "What a mess," she muttered.

"Poor Ivan," Sheba commented as she returned to her seat. "I can't imagine how he feels. I myself fell awful."

"Not to mention helpless," Jenna added. She shook her head with another sigh. "_Worthless_ is a better word."

Sheba hugged her knees against her chest, resting her chin upon them as she gaze thoughtfully up at the mantle piece. "I would have suggested that it was nothing more than a dream," she began softly, "but being a Jupiter adept myself I know better. What else could that have been _other_ than a prophetic dream?"

"I just hope that we can some how prevent it," Jenna replied. After a brief pause she added, "And if we can't, let's hope Hamma can pull through until we find her."

* * *

The wind blew mercilessly, tearing her hair away from her face. She gritted her teeth, holding her arm in front of her face as a shield. 

"Alex!" Karst growled, lashing out with her other arm at the unseen force that pushed against her. She cursed the open plain that they walked across and the bitter cold wind that furiously swept across it. "Alex! Stop ignoring me!" she roared angrily.

The mercury adept trudged against the wind ahead of her so easily his struggled seemed almost effortless. His blue hair lashed around in the wind, pulled every direction by the gale around them. He couldn't hear her over the wind; either that or he was ignoring her.

"Alex!" She called again, wishing vainly to be back in Prox. She hadn't missed the cruel weather of open plains or secluded stillness of mountains, nor had she desiredgo sailing on the choppy waves of endless blue ocean or traipsing through the scorching hot seas of sand in a forsaken desert again. She called to him again, this time her voice hoarse from yelling so much and so loudly and from the relentless winds whipping into her open mouth as she spoke.

Finally he turned his head back to her, the wind pushing his hair around his face. He paused briefly for her to catch up.

As she neared him she could finally see just how the wind was affecting him. His lips were dry and so cracked that the bled. His skin had taken a sever beating as well and his eyes were dryer than hers were.

"Why are we crossing this accursed plain?" she demanded.

He pulled his coat closer to his body for what little good it did protecting him from the harsh wind that tore right through the flesh and chilled to the bone. He glanced into the wind, blinking wildly in order to protect his eyes. "To get to the other side," he replied with a smile. As he smiled his lips cracked further, lines of crimson trickling from them.

Karst cringed for him, knowing how it had to hurt to have ones skin split like that. "What's on the other side?" she asked, deciding to humor him for now. Her tone was weary and exasperated.

"A town, hopefully one we will find answers in," he replied over the howling wind. He shook his head although the many directions the wind pulled his hair in made it hard to tell that his head was even moving. "I know its rough," he continued, seeming to know the next questions before she even asked them. "But I'm not going to teleport us both from town to town."

"Aren't you powerful enough?" Karst taunted, a wry smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.

He cast her an agitated glance. "Its not that," he replied. "It has nothing to do with how powerful I am or if I can or can't do it. I can, and that's the truth, but I simply don't want to."

"Why? When you could avoid all of this," she asked, motioning at the invisible wind rushing past them. "And avoid all the pain it causes you're skin."

He stared at her for a while, his gaze long and hard, unwavering as his hair blew over his eyes. "I need not explain my actions, nor do I have to justify my decisions to you." He turned and resumed his course, pushing against the wind once again.

Karst followed after him, a low growl barely loud enough for her ears to hear rising from deep within his throat. Whatever his reason for walking all over Weyard, —again— was beyond her. But whatever compelled him to suffer the harsh treatment that they were suffering now, she decided, was madness. After all, he was insane, right?

A gust of wind caught her in the chest, so forceful that it shoved her backwards. She stumbled over a rock hidden under the grass of the plain and fell hard on her rear, the force of impact knocking the breath from her lungs. She muttered a curse under her breath as she regained it. Throwing her head back she shouted into the sky, "I _hate_ this cursed land!"

Ahead of her Alex turned his gaze lazily over his shoulder in response to her outburst of frustration. A smirk crept across his cracked, bloodied lips as a feeling of satisfaction warmed him. Almost any amount of pain and suffering was worth it to see her struggling to the point of uncontrolled anger—almost.


	8. Chapter VIII: One obstacle after another

Author's Note: SpasticDjinn, I'm terribly sorry! It's just that when I wrote the last author's note, you'd only reviewed once. I am very sorry! I do consider you a reviewer! Three cheers for VampireNaomi AND SpasticDjinn! Yay! My faithful reviewers unite! Thank you for all the nice things you said about the story. I must say, when I get complements like that I want to write more! It inspires me.

And I promise, my original character will not be a Mary Sue. If she starts to become one, you can cyber slap me and I'll try to fix it, okay? She's not that bad, is she? But I hate Mary Sue's, and I don't want to create one. So please, tell me if Felicia gets obnoxious. And I'll change it.

I dedicate this chapter to: **SpasticDjinn!**

A good reader who I love because you keep coming back! Just don't stop reading! And also, thanks for the high rating! Can you give me a reason as to why it's a nine? I don't have to have a ten, I'm honored that you ranked the story so high, but if you tell me it helps me to improve my writing skills. And it was short wasn't it? Only eleven pages that time. Oh well.

I'll try to keep the update time shorter, just for you! And VampireNaomi, of course (sorry for making you think I'd abandoned it again. I'd never do that! If I did, I'd tell you)! Time for me to shut up now.

Disclaimer: Don't own it etc.

**NOTE:** Remember, there is a 'filler' chapter before this one, so be sure to read it first.

Golden Sun: The New Beginning

Chapter VIII: One obstacle after another

Kraden lifted his gaze from the book held between his two hands before him. A smile twisted his mouth upward as he watched the three young scholars under him awkwardly work around each other, cast looks of hatred, challenge, and annoyance at their rival when they weren't looking.

It had been several days since Isaac and Garet brought the young Felicia to study with him. Several days filled with plenty of rude comments, nasty remarks, and childish name-callings exchanged between her and her two rivals-for-life that sometimes would send him into a fit of laughter. It was rather entertaining to watch young people striving to better than their rival, thus hindering themselves sometimes more than that rival. He'd laughed at the three more times that he could count on both hands over the past few days. He hadn't experienced such joy since his younger years—and more recently, since their journey to restore alchemy had come to an end.

Kraden retired to the book to his desk that was littered with all his scrolls and study notes. He removed his spectacle from his nose and used the corner of his vest to clean them. His head tilted down, he eyed them with an upward glance. "Ah! Look at the time," he commented, motioning out the window. He stood and made his way to the ladder leading upstairs, motioning to the three scholars as he passed them. "I was so absorbed in reading I didn't notice how late it was getting. Time for lunch, come!"

Kraden climbed the ladder and lifted the hatch. His three 'apprentices' reluctantly followed after each other, Kaiden, the last to emerge from the whole cut into the floor, closed the hatch behind him.

Kraden went to the fireplace on that level of the house. He threw a few logs onto it to get the flames ablaze again and then pulled a large pot out and set it on the table. "Felicia, why don't you chop up those vegetables in there," he said, pointing to a cupboard on the wall. "And Kitty, you can help me measure out the seasonings."

He lifted the pot and carried over to Kaiden. Handing it to him he smiled and said, "Go outside and fill this with water. Then bring it back in and put it over the fire to boil." Kaiden took the pot with a nod, then carefully climbed down the ladder with it in hand.

Kraden pulled out all the seasonings and herbs he own, which weren't very many, and laid them out on the table. He peered at Felicia over his specks before speaking. "So, Felicia," the young scholar raised her head, her arms filled with potatoes and a few carrots. "What kind of 'odd jobs' can you handle?"

Felicia's expression fell but she forced herself to smile. Kitty snickered at her and gave a cocky smile that bragged about being able to study more and longer than the other girl. "I can handle almost anything you give me," she replied, glaring at one of her two rivals. "I chopped wood with my father, and I can keep the herb gardens for you."

"How about cleaning the inside of the house?" he asked, sniffing the only spice he owned.

Felicia glared at Kitty again as she snickered once more. "I am able to, yes," she replied. She grabbed a knife to cut the potatoes with.

"Can you?" Kraden questioned with a probing stare.

"Yes, I can."

"Wonderful!" Kraden exclaimed. "My house hasn't been cleaned in over two months!"

Felicia groaned inwardly as she began to doubt her sanity for accept this old man's standards. Yes, he was the greatest scholar ever spoken of and he could teach her more than any of the other scholars in Tolbi could even dream of knowing, but no matter how great his intellect he was an old man, and men, especially old ones, don't pick up after themselves in the home. When she agreed to do 'odd jobs' she knew she'd have to clean the house for him, but now she mentally berated herself for ever agreeing. Just one quick glance around his workspace downstairs and the layers of dust that had accumulated could be seen. Upstairs would be worse since the only times he ever did anything on the second level of his house was sleep and cook.

Kitty hid her smug smile from Kraden, raising her hand to her mouth as she faked a cough. The hatch opened and Kaiden set the pot full of water on the floor, climbing up after it. He retrieved the pot and placed it over the fire.

"Good! Thank you, my boy," Kraden said. He clapped him on the back. "Now give Felicia a hand."

Kaiden sighed, glancing toward the girl. He reluctantly replied, retrieving another knife and going to stand next to her as he chopped up the vegetables. Felicia eyed him dangerously, a flare of warning in her green eyes. Most would have said it would have been wiser to let the two siblings work together, especially when knives were involved, while allowing Felicia to assist him. But Kraden knew if they were going to study together, they had to get used to the fact that their rival, or rivals in Felicia's case, were going to be right there beside of them.

Kitty glanced over at her brother. He caught her gaze and nodded, motioning toward the aged scholar with his head.

"Kraden," Kitty spoke softly and carefully as if considering every word before saying it. "My brother and I were wondering, you gave us the answer we were sent to retrieve, and told us we couldn't study alchemy, but please."

"I'm afraid that I can't allow it," Kraden replied, knowing the coming question. He looked up at her, his head remaining bowed. "I told you when you first came here, no alchemy. You can't read any of my documents about it, you can't study any books concerning it, none whatsoever. Have you broken our agreement?"

"No!" Kitty immediately replied, her eyes widening with shock. "No, sir! We'd never, but if we may—"

"I gave you your answer, and that's all I'll discuss it," Kraden interrupted, cutting off her sentence before she could finish. He turned to check to see if the water was yet boiling.

Kitty lowered her head in defeat and disappointment.

Felicia eyed the two siblings for a while, tossing what Kitty had said back and forth in her mind, 'rolling it around' to see if she could find something to pick apart. After a while she located something.

"You have what Iodem sent you for, and yet he has not heard from you?"

Kaiden exchanged a glance with his sister before they both set hard glares on her from either side. "No, but we will send it to him in good time," he replied, a defensive tone to his voice.

"Oh?" Felicia taunted, her gaze not moving from the vegetables she was chopping. " 'In good time' or 'in _your_ time'?"

She glanced up at Kaiden's hardened face, his jaw having been clenched as a 'flame' flared up in his eyes. Kitty had her lips pressed into so fine a line they were imperceptible. Felicia returned to her duty triumphantly, a smug grin on her face.

"I was going to—" Kaiden began.

"Yes, yes, 'you were going to,' 'you meant to', 'it was your intentions to'," Felicia interrupted, waving her hand about the air. "I know all your excusing for procrastinating at for _neglecting_. We all know that you _meant_ to send a message or letter, perhaps the document that you spoke about a few days ago, to lord Iodem." Her last words were sarcastic and cold. Very harsh words Kraden observed.

Kaiden stood staring at her dumbfounded by the truth in the words she had spoken. His anger shown brightly through his eyes and expression, but when he opened his mouth to retort nothing came out. He lowered his gaze to the diced vegetables before him in defeat and heaved a frustrated sigh.

Kitty gave him a sympathetic look, experiencing the same feeling of failure that her brother was at that moment, and glared angrily at Felicia before shamefully dropping her gaze as well. Neither could say anything, for despite how cruel and heartless Felicia was being, she was right. They had neglected to fulfill the duty that lord Iodem himself had bestowed upon them.

Kraden stood by the fireplace silently watching them for a while. The only sound in the room was the chopping of the knife hitting the table as Kaiden and Felicia cut the vegetables, the soothing roar of flames in the hearth behind him, and timid 'rustle' as Kitty stirred the herbs in with the seasoning.

Felicia was happy to silence to two siblings, leaving them angry yet speechless to say anything back. She never had been able to do it much when they were working together in Tolbi, but now that she actually had succeeded she couldn't help but feel somewhat guilty. She knew what it was like to have someone tell you to your face that you had failed to serve your king and it be true. Many time in her past she had ignored Babi's indirect instructions to study a particular matter to study that which interested her or what her father was studying. To realize that you'd be negligent hurt—deeply.

She shook her head, brushing the guilty feeling aside for now. She wanted to enjoy her triumph over her rivals at the moment, not beat herself up for so harshly bringing them down, even though that is what she did.

"Well," Kraden said, after making sure that none of them were going to add to the 'conversation'. "I think you can put those carrots and potatoes into the pot." Kaiden and Felicia quietly obeyed their instruction.

Kraden gently touched Kitty's shoulder to get her to look at him. He smiled. "Help me with the broth, please?" she nodded, returning his smile.

The old scholar stepped back to watch her stir the mix as he had showed her. He cast a glance over his shoulder as Kaiden and Felicia dumped the vegetables into the pot to be boiled. He knew, when he accepted Felicia to study under him, that having rivals working together would be hard, on both him and them. He also knew that they'd fight and fuss, argue over what was the best thing to do until he would have to step in and settle the matter himself. All that was normal to expect. He just never expected them to tear each other down so much that he would have to build them back up again.

That was more the actions of an 'enemy' rather than a 'rival', were they not?

* * *

After days of wondering across the continent, Felix was glad to finally see Contigo.

He and Picard had found a rowboat in the bottom of Picard's ship. It had been damaged in the wreck, but they managed to use boards from busted crates to repair it. After paddling the miles between the rocks they'd wrecked on and Hesperia, their arms rejoiced upon reaching the shore.

Now, they'd finally reached their destination. Putting their trek across the southern half of Hesperia behind him, Felix anxiously waited to crash onto a bed at the inn.

"Should we see Hamma first?" Picard asked, pausing after walking a good ways in town.

Felix groaned, knowing it was probably the best thing to do. They came for a very important reason, and to put it off because of weariness was childish and irresponsible. "Yeah, we should," he replied.

Picard nodded, changing directions. The walked through the main square of town, pausing at a vender long enough to enquire about Hamma's home. Once they had directions they made their way through the town until the described house was before them.

"Hamma should know we were coming," Felix commented, raising his hand to knock. "That is, if she's meditated lately."

"If she knows, why didn't she send someone to great us?" Picard questioned, eyeing the eave of the house high above their heads.

"My point exactly," Felix said. He knocked again when no one came. "She could have sent someone for us and had the boat fixed and waiting in the harbor when we arrived."

"Maybe she's not been meditating," Picard suggested. Footsteps slowly approached on the other side of the door.

"If that's the case, then why not?" Felix wondered. He straitened his shoulders when the door creaked open and stood expecting to see Hamma inside opening the door wider with a warm welcome. Instead, the door stopped opening at a crack and a young, blonde haired girl peered through at them.

"C-can I help you?" the girl asked nervously. Her large brown eyes darted between the two of them as if she expected them to attack her.

"Uh, hello," Felix said, thrown off by the new face. He forced a smile, hoping he looked friendly. But it was hard to look friendly and kind when one had just made a three-day hike across half of a continent with little rest and food. "Excuse me, we were told this was Master Hamma's home. I'm sorry, we must be mistake—"

"No, this is Master Hamma's house," the girl replied. She was so soft spoken, Felix barely heard her over his one voice. "Are you friends of hers?"

"Yes, we are," Picard spoke up when Felix failed to reply. He was so tired and confused he couldn't do much else but stare dumbly at her when she asked her question.

The girl glanced between them again. "Well, what's you're business with the Master?" she asked. She repositioned herself behind the door so she could slam it closed quicker if she had to.

"We came to see her. There are a few things we need to ask her about," Picard replied, smiling kindly in attempt to seem less threatening. "Also, her brother has sent several letters that she's failed to respond to."

"The letters are on the desk," the girl replied. She closed the door and returned a few minutes later, again peering at them through a cracked door. She stuck her arm through to show them a small stack of letters in her hand. "See? The letters were received, but Master Hamma can't reply to them. You can't see her either."

"Why not?" Felix demanded.

The girl flinched and withdrew her hand quickly, stepping further behind the door. "She's gone. She asked me to watch her house while she was away."

Picard placed his hand on Felix's shoulder before he could say anything. He knew the earth adept was tired and would only succeed in frightening the girl even more with is grumpy tones.

"Would you mind telling us where she went?" he asked with another smile.

The girl eyed him strangely, giving Felix a weary glance before she replied. "Master Hamma got a letter from Xian. They requested her help with something and she left immediately."

"What did they need help with?" Picard asked.

"She wouldn't tell me. She only asked me to watch her house while she's away. Then she got on a boat and left that very afternoon," the girl replied. "That was almost a week ago."

"Have you heard from her since then?" Felix asked, trying not to sound anxious.

The girl shook her head. "It worries me, too," she added. "Master Hamma always sends word if she's going to be gone longer than a few days. I haven't heard anything from her, and I'm afraid something happened to her."

"Well, perhaps she's busier with helping the people in Xian than she thought she'd be. She probably just hasn't had time to send you any word," Picard suggested in an assuring manner. He smiled and bowed his head, motioning with his hand for Felix to walk away. "Thank you for your time, miss. You've been very helpful."

The two adepts proceeded to walk away from the house. Once the girl had closed the door, Felix turned sharply on his heel to face the Lemurian.

"Helpful? All she told us was that Hamma is in an entirely different location that we thought and thus further away from us than when we started out! How is that helpful?" He growled glaring at the closed door of the house.

"She did tell us where Hamma was, though. We could have spent the rest of the evening asking a bunch of people who didn't know, would have preferred that?" Picard snapped. The Lemurian rarely sounded cross or agitated but this was one of those rare occasions.

Felix sighed, letting his shoulders slouch. "I'm too tired for this," he admitted wearily, throwing is head back in frustration. "What are we going to do? We _have_ to see her!"

"We're both tired, Felix," Picard replied. He glanced around thoughtfully. "We'll go after her, I suppose."

"Your ship is stuck on a rock miles down the coastline! How do we go after her?" Felix asked.

"We'll get the ship off the rocks, then," Picard replied. He nodded, trying to reassure himself that they actually could accomplish that.

"How?" Felix groaned. He ran his fingers through his hair, glaring fiercely at the darkening sky as the last of the sun's rays disappeared from the land. "We can't do it alone."

Picard sighed, defeated. He shook his head. "I don't know," he said exasperatedly. "Let's get a room in the inn. We can think about it in the morning when our minds are clear."

"Yes, lets. That's the best thing I've heard you say all night," Felix agreed.

The inn was another welcomed sight. It was sandwiched between two shops on the main street of Contigo. The warm glowing windows and smoke piping from the chimney on the roof had such a warm, appealing appearance for the two weary travelers. After paying for two beds and meals, they indulged themselves with piping hot food before crashing onto the mattresses of the beds they'd been given and falling into a well-earned sleep.

The night passed by quickly and morning came all to soon. Felix was awakened rudely by the bright sun shining in through the window right above his head. He groaned as he rolled over onto his back. Staring up at the ceiling he realized just how stiff and sore he'd become from all the traveling and sleeping on the cold hard ground. With a heavy sigh and pained grunt he sat up to find Picard's bed opposite his empty.

Falling back on his pillow he rolled out of the bed onto his hands and knees, lacking the will and energy to swing his legs over the edge. Using the bedside and nightstand he pulled himself to his feet, his muscles aching in complaint all the way up. As quickly as possible with stiff, sore limbs, he dressed himself and belted his sword around his waist so his cape concealed it. After shouldering his pack he shuffled his feet all the way to the stairs, cursing them as he stumbled down them.

He was greeted by an overly jolly innkeeper and Picard's rested but still tired, yet somehow smiling, face.

"Good morning, sir!" the man keeper bellowed merrily behind the counter. He patted his fat stomach with one hand and smacked the counter top with the other. "How about a fine meal before the two of you head back out? Our cook would be glad to fix anything you like! That is, if we have the fixings."

"No thank you," Picard replied kindly. Felix was glad, know just as much as the Lemurian with him did that he wasn't in any better mood than he had been the previous night. Any conversation he got into would most likely result in insults or an all out fist fight, depending on the situation or person.

"Oh, that's too bad," the man said, his face assuming a disappointed look. It soon faded into another large grin as he laughed whole-heartedly for no apparent reason. Felix couldn't help but think it 'too bad' merely because the old geezer running the place was out a few more coins.

"But, if you'd be so kind, sir. We could use a name of someone who can move and repair a ship. Might you know of anyone?" Picard inquired. Felix noted the look of determination in the corner of the mercury adept's eye. It told him that he wasn't going to come away from this conversation without some bit of helpful information.

"I might know someone," the man replied, idly twisting the end of his mustache. "There are a few shipwrights out at the harbor. I can't say any of them would be willing to do you or me any favors. Being an innkeeper doesn't require the use of a boat too much, so I don't know any of them well enough to send you to. You'd have to pay the right price. What kind of repairs might you need done?"

"I don't think it's very serious," Picard replied. Felix gawked at him in surprise at the statement, recalling the amount of damage the rock had done to the Lemurian ship, and it wasn't what he'd call 'not very serious'. Then again, he didn't know all that much about ships to start with. "We just need someone who can fix it for a fair price."

"Now, there are plenty of men like that. There's Mika, Greer, and Reed. Those are the names that come to mind," the innkeeper replied, glancing at the ceiling thoughtfully.

"Any personal suggestions?" Picard asked.

The man laughed. "Well, like I said before, being an innkeeper doesn't require much ship traveling. But Greer and Reed are rumored to be the best. But if you want someone who will go a mile or two to where your ship is without extra charge, Mika's your man," he explained. He shrugged. "He does more work for less, and his does just as good a job as the other two. People feel like they'll get a better job if they pay more. Their loss, I say."

"Less is better. Could you tell me where we might find him?" Picard smiled, obviously trying to keep patience with the innkeeper's needless habit of giving more information that required.

"Mika has a structure down by the harbor. It's near the end of the docks. If he isn't there, ask around and get directions to his house. He lives near the harbor, too. He's a single man without any family nearby to care for, so his time is mostly free. You shouldn't have any difficulty getting him to do the job," the man replied.

Picard nodded his thanks. "You're time is appreciated," he said, shouldering his pack.

"It was a pleasure talking with you," the innkeeper said as they turned to leave. "Do come back by for a visit sometime. You're business would be appreciated."

"As if I'd come all the way to this out-of-the-way town on this difficult to reach continent just to fill his pockets with money!" Picard growled as they exited the inn.

"I see the night's rest didn't do too much for you're mood either," Felix commented, knowing what meant. The innkeeper was an old man who ran a business somewhere that didn't get many customers. His hands were eager to take your money almost even if you hadn't offered it. But since he was in a bad mood, he'd probably perceived his mannerisms wrong.

Picard sighed exasperatedly. He glanced up at the sun to check the time. "Its almost noon," he said, using his hand to shield his eyes from some of the glare. "We'd better hurry to the docks if we hope to get hire this Mika."

They easily found their way down to the docks and pushed their way through the crowd of sailors and people. The Contigo harbor was surprisingly busy, but since most of the ships docked were merchant ships or cargo ships, Picard informed Felix that they were probably buying or had bought supplies from other continents.

Mika's building was right where the innkeeper had said it would be. Only it looked a little less like a building than they had hoped and more like a run down shack about to fall into the waters around it. As they approached, Felix noted there were few people on that end of the harbor.

Fortunately, the shack wasn't empty. Inside sat a scruffy-faced man with messy hair and tattered clothes. He was pouring over some designs of ships sketched out on some old parchment paper.

"Excuse me," Picard said, stepping through the open door. Felix followed behind him, eyeing the rotting boards that made up the shack's walls. "We were told you were a shipwright. Were we told right?"

The man, slightly startled by their sudden appearance glanced up at them. He quickly looked each of them over before speaking. "Aye, I'm a shipwright," he replied. "Mika's my name, who might you be?"

"Then you're the man we're looking for," Picard said, smiling triumphantly. "We need repairs on my ship. We were caught in a storm and wrecked in the middle of the night a good ways down the coastline. Can you do the job?"

"I'd have to see the damage first," Mika replied, rolling the designs up and placing them aside. "How far are we talking?"

Felix gave Picard an unsure glance. It could scare the man away if he knew how far he had to take all the right equipment just to get the job done. "It took us three days to walk to Contigo," Felix finally replied. "And we were in a hurry."

"Three days," Mika said, considering it. "That's an awful long way away for one job."

"The ship is stuck on some rocks, too. We'll need you to get it off and fix the damage without flooding or sinking the vessel," Picard explained. "I know it'll be difficult, but we can pay extra for you're trouble."

"We were told, however, that you didn't charge more for distances traveled," Felix quickly added. He shrugged when Picard gave him a scolding look.

Mika eyed them for a moment, almost as if he were sizing them up. He broke into a hearty laugh and cracked a large grin. "I always did like a challenge! I'll take the job. I just need you to tell me how many men I might need to help me?"

"Six," Picard replied off the top of his head. He paused, glancing to the side as he considered it. "Ten, maybe. The damage isn't that bad, but its still a fairly large whole for my size ship."

"Ten it is. Eight, if the two of you are willing to help instead," Mika replied. "It'd save me having to hire two more men, and I'd charge less for not having to pay two more men."

"We don't know much about fixing ships, really," Felix replied. Picard gave him and offended glance. "At least, _I_ don't know much that is," he quickly corrected.

"I can show you," Mika replied. "If you've ever built anything, all you'll need to know is how to apply the skills to a ship. There is a little trick to it, but its nothing too difficult."

Felix exchanged a glance with Picard. The months they'd spent rebuilding Vale seemed like they'd finally be paying off. "I can build!"

"Great!" Mika stood. "You give me until this evening to get my men. You make any preparations you'll need for the trip. We'll be going by boat, so make sure you look over a sea chart of the surrounding areas so you can show me exactly where to plot my coarse. We'll leave in the morning, if the weather permits."

Picard and Felix thanked the man and left. The wound their way through the crowd of sailors back to Contigo where they wondered around the town square for a while, buying what supplies they could afford. The day wore on until evening. Wondering back to the dock they found Mika who approached them. He informed them of his preparations and gave them a quick introduction to the men he'd hired to help with the repairs. He then showed them the ship they'd be leaving on in the morning and bade them good night before retiring to his home with the promise that they'd know where to take him come sunrise.

"Looks like we'll be paying the innkeeper for one more night," Felix commented as they trudged up to the inn door once again. When the entered the innkeeper looked up and smiled widely at them.

"Good evening, gentlemen!" he greeted. "I didn't expect to see you back quite so soon. I figured you'd leave town before you paid me that visit."

"We need two more beds and meals," Picard said, laying the proper amount of coins on the desk.

"Coming right up," the innkeeper said, eagerly scooping the coins into his hand. He counted them in a miserly fashion and then flashed them a smile. "Have a seat. I'll have the cook prepare you two meals and bring them over myself."

Felix and Picard found a seat at one of the tables scattered around the large open room of the downstairs of the inn. Few other tables were available as most if not all of the sailors and merchants from the dock earlier were spending the night at the inn, talking loudly and making lots of noise as they wobbled with drunkenness.

"I thought of something last night," Picard said, leaning his elbows on the table.

"You had time to think last night?" Felix wondered, giving him a strange look. "I was out before my head had even touched the pillow, if its possible."

"It's been quite some time since we left Vale," Picard continued, ignoring the earth adepts comment. "We should find a way to send a letter to them before we leave tomorrow morning. They'll want to hear of what we've learned so far, and maybe how our travels have gone."

Felix nodded in agreement. "They're probably worried about us. It'd be a good idea to let them know we're still alive, even if it takes a couple more days for the message to reach them."

Picard eyed a particular group as two drunken men in it began to sing a chorus off key. "So, have you given much thought about this 'threat' Alex spoke of over the past few days?"

"I haven't had much time. With the storm, then the wreck, traveling and this?" Felix shook his head. "Have you?"

"No, not really," he admitted. "Any thoughts about it now?"

Felix ignored the drunken sailors stumbling and cutting-up around them. "I can't imagine who it might be," he sighed. "Its just an overwhelming thought to have another evil tyrant seeking after the alchemical power so soon after the first incident with it."

"Its tiring is what it is," Picard said. His gaze was distant as he aimlessly stared off into the room. "I still wonder if Alex is a threat or not. He told us about the threat to begin with, but he said that he wasn't going to help us."

"Alex is a—" Felix was cut off as a drunk man tripped and crushed into the legs of his chair. The main gazed up at him through blood shot eyes and uttered a slurred apology, half of which he could understand, then stood up on unstable legs and wobbled back to his table. "Alex is a power hungry man. He wants only what benefits himself. That much I know. What I can't figure out is how telling us about a threat to Weyard could give him benefit."

"If we stop this threat, this man, then he can't steal the power away from Alex," Picard stated matter of fact.

Felix dropped his gaze thoughtfully to the tabletop. "I never thought about it like that," he said. "Of course I haven't had much time to think about it since we first encountered Alex in Vale."

Picard gave a warning look to yet another drunk to staggered to close to him. He turned back to Felix when the man staggered the other way. "What I can't figure out is how he found out about it. Did he just wake up wherever it was he woke up when he teleported from the top of Mt. Aleph and decide to go looking for a threat to his newly acquired power? It doesn't make since. Why would he have any reason to even suspect such a thing without any proof or news of a threat in Weyard anywhere?"

"I don't know. Nothing makes sense with Alex. He confuses me, how he thinks. Only he knows what goes through his mind and how to make sense of any of it," he groaned, rubbing his temples. "I'm still so tired, I can't think straight. I'm hungry, I want to eat and go to bed."

At that moment the innkeeper walked over and set to bowls of stew in front of them. "Enjoy, gentlemen!" he said, waddling away.

"We'll eat and sleep," Picard said. "In the morning I'll get up and find someone to take a message to Jenna and the others in Vale. You can head on to the dock and meet up with Mika. Wait for me and we'll embark just as soon as I arrive."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Felix mumbled in-between bites. Impatient to wait on Picard he'd already started to eat.

Once they'd finished their meal the drug themselves up the stairs and crashed into two beds side by side. All the beds were in one large room upstairs, and the only thing dividing them from the next was a screen. The moved the screen between their beds to the end of them to make what little privacy they could have. Dropping their packs and stripping everything accept their pants they crashed into bed without another word.

(Author's Note: Only two sections this time five if you count last chapter, too I know! And so short! But with the filler chapter before this one and this combined, you've got 21 pages from me! Be happy and rejoice in my updates, for they are few and far between. Hopefully I'll have more than two sections next time. Also, I didn't proof read this, so no complaining. You know what I mean… hopefully. If not, I have an e-mail address hint, hint, nudge, nudge You'll be able to contact me with an questions that you want answered quickly that way)


	9. IMPORTANT NOTICE!

**Important notice!**

Because I started this story four years ago, my writing skill shave improved (or I'd like to think so at any rate). Also, reading over some of those chapters and reading my notes for the plot and future chapters I've noticed some big mistakes and major flaws in the story itself. I started it four years ago, as mentioned above, and when I wrote the first few chapters I hadn't really gone over any of the plot or thought much of it out at all, either in my or nor on paper. So why did I start it?

I was young and fairly new to writing

I didn't like doing outlines or even outlining what I wanted to happen so I'd have a general idea of where the story was going. Plus, that's how I wrote back then; I got an idea and wrote, flying by the seat of my pants, only realizing the dangers of doing such after I'd read over the chapter myself later on.

The main reason I started it: I'd written before, and even attempted a few chaptered/continuing stories (all fan fiction though). And after reading a really good Gundam Wing fiction I decided I wanted a good fan fiction of my own that had a real plot and that I'd actually do something with. So, I worked up an idea for Golden Sun (something I was into big time at the moment) and went with it.

Of course now I realize that was stupid and I wasted four years of what could have been good, plot developing chapters as I merely flew by the seat of my pants hoping that it didn't get too redundant or confusing. I have to admit, I've forgotten some of the things I was planning because I didn't write it down, and things sort of contradict. Plus, the first few chapters aren't very well written.

So, in an attempt to make the story better, actually have a story, and hopefully keep my old readers while at the same time gaining new ones by the thousands… okay, I'll be reasonable… dozens

**I am starting the story over!**

As soon as I have the new chapter one written, proof-read (no promises) and maybe looked over by my dad (who's been reading and enjoying the story himself since he likes games and played through Golden Sun… yes, that's right, my dad Rocks!), I will post the newly revised story.

**To those who have already read the previous (disastrous) chapters:**

The story will be different. I'm taking a whole new spin on things, but don't worry, the original plot, or what I have of it, will still be there. So it's still the same story you started, just with changes that I hope will improve it. So, if you still care enough to bother, read the "new and improved" version and tell me what you like/dislike about it in comparison to the old version.

Also, when I do post the new version, it will be posted as a new story, and may bare a new title. Though "Golden Sun" will remain in the title.

I hope you'll continue reading!


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